# stickybeak
## English
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* (UK) IPA: /ˈstɪkibiːk/
* Audio (General Australian):(file)

### Noun

stickybeak (plural stickybeaks)
* (Commonwealth, colloquial) An overly inquisitive person, a nosey parker.
** 1985, Peter Carey, Illywhacker, Faber and Faber, published 2003, page 109:I walked back towards the grinning stickybeak who took a few steps backwards before fleeing for the steamy safety of his laundry.
** 1994, Robin Barker, Baby Love, Pan Macmillan Australia, published 2009, page 419:Babies of this age are delightful stickybeaks, vitally interested in everything and everyone around them.
** 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.
** 2004, Lynne Wilding, Outback Sunset, published 2010, unnumbered page: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.’
* (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?
    Shall we take a stickybeak at that shop?
** 2009, Australia Justine Vaisutis, Lonely Planet, page 239,
    It′s worth popping into the bar for a stickybeak.
** 2009, Anna Goldsworthy, Piano Lessons, published 2011, page 109: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!’
** 2010, Kate Howarth, Ten Hail Marys, page 4: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.
** 2018, Tim Winton, The Shepherd's Hut, Picador UK Paperback edition 2018, p.146:
    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."

#### Synonyms

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

#### Translations
### Verb

stickybeak (third-person singular simple present stickybeaks, present participle stickybeaking, simple past and past participle stickybeaked)
* (Commonwealth) To pry or snoop.
** 2007, Kevin Hallewell, Woop Woop, page 104:Two of the more arrogant birds actually inspected the inside of the tent, clucking away to each other as they stickybeaked.
** 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.
** 2009, Bryce Courtenay, The Story of Danny Dunn, volume 1, ReadHowYouWant, published 2011, 2, page 202: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.

### References

* OED 2nd edition 1989