Q12
EnglishIdioms, Phrasal Verbs & Proverbs
From the given options choose the word/phrase nearest in meaning to the proverb: 'Curiosity killed the cat.'
- a.Excessive curiosity.
- b.The cat should stay within limits.
- c.If people are curious beyond a point, they may invite trouble.
- d.Curiosity beyond any man's reach can be deadly.
Answer: (C) If people are curious beyond a point, they may invite trouble.
The proverb warns that being too inquisitive about things that do not concern you can land you in trouble, which is what option C says. Option A is only a phrase, not a meaning; B takes the cat literally; and D exaggerates the idea into something 'deadly' and 'beyond any man's reach'. The saying began in the 16th century as 'Care killed the cat' (care meaning worry), used by Ben Jonson and Shakespeare, and today it is often capped with the reply 'but satisfaction brought it back'. A proverb with a similar warning is 'Let sleeping dogs lie'.