Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Curious, -ius, a. Also: -iows, -iouse, -ios, curieous; curyous, -yousse, -yus, -vws; courious. [ME. curious (a 1340), -yous, OF. curius, L. cūriōsus.]

1. Of persons: a. Desirous of knowing; inquisitive; diligent in inquiring. 1375 Barb. iv. 687.
Feill folk ar sa curious, And to wit thingis sa covetous c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6092.
Paull … Full humilye … teichit ws, Nocht for to be to curious 1562-3 Winȝet I. 24/29.
Sen now al men wilbe … curius seircearis of the hie mysteriis of God a1578 Pitsc. I. 61/9.
It was iudgit be thame that was curieous of auld antiquitieis to be ane sone of quene Margaret 1596 Dalr. I. 61/1.
Hector Boyis … a maist curiouse sercher out of this secrete 1611-57 Mure Dido i. 112.
Apollo … did in dowbtsome oracles vnfold Hid mysteries the curiows to content

b. Painstaking, skilful, expert; notable. 1375 Barb. x. 359 (E).
Sym of the Leidhous, A crafty man and a curious Ib. 531.
Than wes thar ane Wilyame Francus, Wycht and apert, wys and curyus c1420 Wynt. v. 4327.
He wes curyws [C. curyousse] in hys style, Fayre off facund and subtille 1535 Stewart 20652.
He gat on hir ane sone callit Fergus, In all this warld wes nane mair curious c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1704.
Nimrod, that curious campioun, Deuysar wes of that dungeoun

c. Careful, studious, solicitous. 1456 Hay II. 65/11.
Than suld knychtis be curious of thair prouffit Ib. 161/33.
Thy secretare, … of quham thou suld be curious till avaunce … his prouffit

d. Careful of one's person; refined. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 493.
Evill schryvin, wan-thryvin, not clene na curius

e. Given to subtleties of thought or doctrine. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 105.
He was sa curius in his theology, that his sermon apperit mair for vane ostentatioun and pride, than ony doctrine 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 156.
All sic factius and curius men, as disdanis to resave of the Kirk [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet II. 29/2.
Men of corruptit mynd, … clatterand and curious

f. Ready, desirous, eager. 1599 Acts IV. 410.
Some provisioun … to disapoint thame of those thair vnlauchfull hoipis wald make thame the les curious to offend heirin 1630 Misc. Hist. Soc. II. 259.
I think ye neid not be curius now for a leisence, for the cornis ar devydit 1640 Baillie I. 370.
The Presbytrie of St. Andrewes not [being] very curious to crave his transportation

2. Of things: a. Of words or sounds: Carefully or elaborately expressed or modulated; elegant or artificial. c1420 Wynt. i. Prol. .
Thai … Fluryside fayrly thair purpose Wytht queynt and curyous circumstance Ib. 24.
In to plane and opyne style, But curyous wordis or suttyle a1500 Henr. Orph. 112.
Thare lerit he tonys proportionate, … Epodyis rycht hard and curius c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 21.
The birdis sang … With curiouse note, as Venus chapell clerkis 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 255.
The quent and curyus castis poeticall Ib. 295.
A ragment twys as curyus, Bot nocht be twenty part so sentencyus 15.. Clar. v. 1769.
The mes was song with note full curious c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4677.
With curious countryng in the queir 1562-3 Winȝet I. 61/3.
The plane and sempill trewth … requiris only … plane familiar and na curius nor affectat speche 1567 G. Ball. 80.
Nocht cryand out with curyous voce, Bot in the spreit

b. Abstruse, subtle, recondite. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxv. 9.
The curious probatioun logicall 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 16.
Ȝour curyus thochtis quhat [ar thay] but musardry 1533 Boece ii. ix. 74.
This werk baith commodios & curios is intitulit the cosmographie of Ptholomee c1552 Lynd. Mon. 672.
Lat doctoris wrytt thare curious questionis And argumentis 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 97.
I … said that questioun wes ovir curius for ane man of my knawlege Ib. 174.
Without curius or forther ressonyng c1590 Fowler II. 61/4.
Courious and vnprofitabill doctreine

c. Carefully or skilfully made or executed; elaborate, artistic. 1513 Doug. i. ix. 110.
Veschell … Quharin was grave, maste curyus to behold, The valȝeant dedis [etc.] 15.. Clar. ii. 117.
This Lordis castell schyning cleir, With courious kirnellis and goldin chainis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2163.
The gret goddes Mynarue With curious collouris thay wald carue Ib. 2853.
A sepultur … Off curius crafty wark 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4370.
Our bed … Couerit with clais sa clene and curious a1578 Pitsc. I. 335.
Hou the erle of Atholl maid ane curius pallice

d. Elegant, beautiful. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 419.
My clokis thai ar caerfull in colour of sabill; Bot courtly and ryght curyus my corse is ther vndir 1535 Stewart 9716.
With mony court that wer rycht curious, Tha come and met this ilk Suetonius 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8985.
Now let vs schaw how Lodwik vp he rais, … With curious corps, and cleikit on his clais

e. Full of care or trouble. a1568 Scott xxxi. 47.
Aboif the pest and plaig that ringis: Quhilk is bot curius, Ay woid and furius