Dictionary

stickybeak en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio
• /ˈstɪkibiːk/ (UK)

Etymology

From sticky + beak; presumably from the metaphor of sticking one′s beak (“nose”) where it is not wanted (compare nosy).

Meanings

1. (Commonwealth, colloquial) An overly inquisitive person, a nosey parker.
   • I walked back towards the grinning stickybeak who took a few steps backwards before fleeing for the steamy safety of his laundry. 1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber and Faber, published 2003, page 109:
   • Vanessa took hold of his hand. ‘She′s a dear friend as well as my business manager and,’ she giggled as she admitted her agent′s greatest flaw, ‘when it comes to her clients, the world′s biggest stickybeak.’ 2004, Lynne Wilding, Outback Sunset, published 2010, unnumbered page:
   • 1999, Kate Grenville, The Idea of Perfection, 2012, Text Publishing, unnumbered page, And I like a chat, kind of thing. She glanced at Harley. Plus I′m a stickybeak, as you know.
   • Babies of this age are delightful stickybeaks, vitally interested in everything and everyone around them. 1994, Robin Barker, Baby Love, Pan Macmillan Australia, published 2009, page 419:
2. (Commonwealth, colloquial) An act of looking at or watching something, especially something which does not directly concern the one looking.
   • Want me to have a stickybeak at that?
   • When I patted the pockets of them shorts there wasn't any phone. "It's in here on the table," said the Irishman. "And you had a good stickybeak I bet." 2018, Tim Winton, The Shepherd's Hut, Picador UK Paperback edition 2018, p.146
   • Between properties, we stopped off for tea with my grandmother and my aunt, and my mother produced her stash of floor plans like enemy intelligence: ‘Have a stickybeak at this!’ 2009, Anna Goldsworthy, Piano Lessons, published 2011, page 109:
   • Shall we take a stickybeak at that shop?
   • God knows what the other patients and staff made of a mob of blackfellas rocking up to visit one of our own, in a private room, to have a stickybeak at the new bub. 2010, Kate Howarth, Ten Hail Marys, page 4:
   • 2009, Australia Justine Vaisutis, Lonely Planet, page 239, It′s worth popping into the bar for a stickybeak.

Forms

Synonyms

nosey parker (overly inquisitive person) · snoop (overly inquisitive person) · quick peek (act of looking) · look-see (act of looking)

Translations (2)

de Schnüffler (nosy person) · mi ihu kurī (nosy person)

stickybeak en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio
• /ˈstɪkibiːk/ (UK)

Etymology

From sticky + beak; presumably from the metaphor of sticking one′s beak (“nose”) where it is not wanted (compare nosy).

Meanings

1. (Commonwealth, intransitive) To pry or snoop.
   • I wasn′t stickybeaking or anything, it was at the main bar and your mother mustn′t have realised I was in my usual spot. 2009, Bryce Courtenay, The Story of Danny Dunn, volume 1, ReadHowYouWant, published 2011, 2, page 202:
   • Two of the more arrogant birds actually inspected the inside of the tent, clucking away to each other as they stickybeaked. 2007, Kevin Hallewell, Woop Woop, page 104:
   • 2007, Harry Hill, He Was My Father, Rosenberg Publishing, Australia, page 124, When my father had shorn for the Lindleys, I had spent a day at the shed, stickybeaking at everything but making sure I didn′t upset shed activities.

Forms