Idiom
Curiosity killed the cat
Curiosity killed the cat is a warning that being too nosy or asking too many questions can get you into trouble.
How people use it
People say it, often playfully, to someone who is snooping or asking about something private: "Stop shaking your birthday presents. Curiosity killed the cat." It can be a light tease or a real warning to stay out of risky business. The tone is informal and a bit parental. Some people answer with a later add-on, "but satisfaction brought it back," meaning that finding out was worth it. Despite the word "killed," the saying is a figure of speech; no real cat is involved.
Also said: curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.
Examples
- When Leo tried to read his sister's diary, she snapped, "Curiosity killed the cat."
- I wanted to know what was in the locked closet, but Mom just said curiosity killed the cat.
- Curiosity killed the cat, so stop clicking on strange links in your email.
Where it comes from
The older English proverb was "care killed the cat," where "care" meant worry or sorrow. It appears in plays from the 1590s, including one by Ben Jonson and Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. The "curiosity" version shows up in the late 1800s and became the common form during the 1900s. The reply "but satisfaction brought it back" is a much later addition.
Check yourself
1. What does a parent mean by saying "curiosity killed the cat" to a child peeking at gifts?
Answer: Being too nosy can lead to trouble. The saying warns that poking into things you shouldn't can get you in trouble.
2. What was the older form of this saying?
Answer: Care killed the cat. In the late 1500s people said care killed the cat, with care meaning worry or sorrow.
Similar idioms
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