Lewis & Short

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cūrĭōsus, a, um, adj. [cura].

  1. I. (Acc. to cura, I.) Bestowing care or pains upon a thing, applying one’s self assiduously, careful, diligent, thoughtful, devoted (class.; esp. freq. in Cic.).
    1. A. In gen.
          1. (α) With in or ad: in omni historiā curiosus, Cic. Tusc. 1, 45, 108: si me nihilo minus nosti curiosum in re publicā quam te, id. Att. 5, 14, 3: ad investigandum curiosior, id. Fam. 4, 13, 5.
          2. (β) With gen. (post-Aug.): medicinae, Plin. 25, 2, 3, § 7: memoriae, Aur. Vict. Caes. 20 fin.: curiosissimus famae suae, Capitol. Anton. Philos. 20.
          3. (γ) With circa: circa uxoris pudicitiam minus curiosus fuit, Capitol. Pert. 13, 8.
          4. (δ) Absol.: non quidem doctus, sed curiosus, Petr. 46, 6; so, pictor, id. 29, 4: felicitas Horatii, id. 118, 5: manus, id. 13, 1: consilia, Quint. 7, 5, 2: interpolatione, Plin. 13, 12, 23, § 75 al.
      1. * 2. With the access. idea of excess, too eager: est etiam supervacua (ut sic dixerim) operositas, ut a diligenti curiosus et a religione superstitio distat, Quint. 8, 3, 55.
    2. B. In partic., inquiring eagerly or anxiously about a thing, inquiring into, in a good or bad sense; curious, inquisitive.
      1. 1. In gen.: ne curiosissimi quidem homines exquirendo audire tam multa possunt, quam, etc., Cic. N. D. 1, 35, 97; id. Fam. 3, 1, 1; Varr. R. R. 2, 3, 5; Quint. 1, 8, 21; 11, 3, 143; * Hor. Epod. 17, 77 al.: curiosis oculis perspici non possit, Cic. Sest. 9, 22.
      2. 2. Implying censure ( = πολυπράγμων), meddlesome, officious, curious, prying, inquisitive: primum patere me esse curiosum, Cic. Fl. 29, 70; id. Fin. 2, 9, 28 Madv.; 1, 1, 3; id. Att. 15, 26, 5; cf.: quare ut homini curioso ita perscribe ad me, id. ib. 4, 11, 2: curiosum aliquem extimescere, Petr. 127: Quae (basia) nec pernumerare curiosi Possint, Cat. 7, 11 Ellis ad loc.
        1. b. Post-Aug., subst.: cūrĭōsus, i, m., of one who is prying, a spy, scout: curiosum ac speculatorem ratus, Suet. Aug. 27.
          Later, a class of secret spies, secret police, an informer, etc.; cf. Cod. Just. 12, tit. 23: De Curiosis et Stationariis al.
  2. II. (Acc. to cura, II.) Lit., that injures himself by care; hence, transf., emaciated, wasted, lean: belua, Plaut. Aul. 3, 6, 26 (v. the passage in connection); cf.: nempe ille vivit carie curiosior, Afran. ap. Non. p. 21, 28 (Com. Rel. v. 250 Rib.).
    Adv.: cūrĭŏsē.
    1. A. (Acc. to I. A.) With care, carefully: involvendus vestimentis, Cels. 2, 17; cf. Petr. 63, 6; Col. 12, 55, 2: cavere, Suet. Aug. 40 al.
      Comp., Vitr. 7, 4.
      Sup., Col. 11, 2, 18.
      1. * 2. Too nicely, carefully, or particularly: curiose potius quam Latine loqui, Quint. 8, 1, 2.
    2. B. (Acc. to I. B. 2.) Inquisitively, curiously: inquirerem, Suet. Vesp. 1.
      Comp.: curiosius conquiram, Cic. Brut. 35, 133: facere aliquid, id. N. D. 1, 5, 10: animadvertunt ea, quae domi fiunt (pueri), id. Fin. 5, 15, 42.