Curious
King James Dictionary [1]
CURIOUS, a. L., care. See Cure.
1. Strongly desirous to see what is novel, or to discover what is unknown solicitous to see or to know inquisitive.
Be not curious in unnecessary matters, nor to pry into the concerns of your neighbors.
2. Habitually inquisitive addicted to research or enquiry as a man of a curious turn of mind sometimes followed by after, and sometimes by of.
Curious after things elegant and beautiful curious of antiquities.
3. Accurate careful not to mistake solicitous to be correct.
Men were not curious what syllables or particles they used.
4. Careful nice solicitous in selection difficult to please.
A temperate man is not curious of delicacies.
5. Nice exact subtile made with care.
Both these senses embrace their objects--with a more curious discrimination.
6. Artful nicely diligent.
Each ornament about her seemly lies, by curious chance, or careless art, composed.
7. Wrought with care and art elegant neat finished as a curious girdle curious work Exodus 28,30 . 8. Requiring care and nicety as curious arts. Acts 19 . 9. Rigid severe particular. Little used. 10. Rare singular a a curious fact.
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(1): (a.) Exciting attention or inquiry; awakening surprise; inviting and rewarding inquisitiveness; not simple or plain; strange; rare.
(2): (a.) Careful or anxious to learn; eager for knowledge; given to research or inquiry; habitually inquisitive; prying; - sometimes with after or of.
(3): (a.) Exhibiting care or nicety; artfully constructed; elaborate; wrought with elegance or skill.
(4): (a.) Difficult to please or satisfy; solicitous to be correct; careful; scrupulous; nice; exact.
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [3]
Acts 19:19 1—Timothy 5:13
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [4]
kū´ri - us ( מחשׁבת , maḥăshebheth ; περίεργος , perı́ergos ): The above Hebrew word, meaning "thought," "device," "design," is translated "curious," Exodus 35:32 the King James Version "curious works"; the English Revised Version "cunning"; the American Standard Revised Version "skilful"; ḥēshebh ("device," "devised work"), translated the King James Version "curious girdle," is translated by the English Revised Version "cunningly woven band," the American Standard Revised Version "skilfully" ( Exodus 28:8 , Exodus 28:27 , Exodus 28:28; Exodus 29:5; Exodus 39:5 , Exodus 39:20 , Exodus 39:21; Leviticus 8:7 ). In Psalm 139:15 rāḳam , "embroidered," "variegated" is used figuratively of a child in the womb, translated "curiously wrought"; "the body or the fetus is described as woven together of so many different-colored threads, like a cunning and beautiful network or tapestry" (Perowne in the place cited.). See also Curdle . Periergos , "working round about," is used of the "curious arts" of some in Ephesus who brought their books to be burned ( Acts 19:19 the American Standard Revised Version "magical"). See Astrology 14.
