Curiosity Killed The Cat – Meaning, Origin & Usage
The idiom and proverb ‘curiosity killed the cat’ gets banded around a lot – especially to people who tend to ask a lot of questions. So it makes sense to find a site like this that explains all about it.
In this article, we will cover what the full line is, what it actually means and how it may have originated. Then we will discuss the appearance of the phrase in pop culture before providing an example of how it can be used in everyday conversation. We will also cover an alternative phrase that you can use in its place.
And without further ado, let’s get straight to it.
What does ‘curiosity killed the cat’ mean?
When someone says ‘curiosity killed the cat’ they are warning you that curiosity can be dangerous and lead to misfortune if left unchecked by wisdom. The full saying is ‘Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. The moral of the proverb is to avoid curiosity for curiosity’s sake if you should be minding your own business.
Exploring the origins of the phrase
It has been suggested that the phrase is a variation of a line in a play called Every Man in His Humour, penned by Ben Johnson in 1598. The line was:
“Helter skelter, hang sorrow, care ‘ll kill a cat, up-tails all, and a louse for the hangman.”
In this context the word ‘care’ means ‘concern’, and the phrase was used as a warning for people to mind their own business.
Shakespeare used a similar phrase in his play Much Ado About Nothing, published in 1600. We don’t know whether Shakespeare had borrowed the concept from Johnson, or whether it was simply a common phrase at the time.
The earliest known written reference to the specific phrase ‘curiosity killed the cat’ came with the rejoinder ‘but satisfaction brought it back’. The line was published in 1912, in the Titusville Herald.
References in pop culture
There’s a song written by Iggy Pop and Scott Thurston that included the line:
“Curiosity killed the cat but what it found brought it back.”
This was in Iggy Pop’s 1979 album New Values.
Similarly, in one of Stephen Kings’ most famous novels, The Shining’ there’s the line:
“Curiosity killed the cat, my dear redrum. Redrum my dear, satisfaction brought him back.”
Usage of the phrase in everyday language
A typical example of the phrase in use may go something like this:
Person 1: I wonder what’s over there. I can’t see, it’s so dark.
Person 2: Let’s choose not to find out. It looks way too creepy. Curiosity killed the cat, remember.
Similar sayings to ‘curiosity killed the cat’
There’s a similar saying which reads:
“Rushing in where angels fear to tread”
The phrase is a criticism to someone who is rushing into difficult or dangerous territory.
Final word
So, in summary, the phrase ‘curiosity killed the cat’ is a proverb and idiom used to warn people not to go prying into things that should not concern them.
