在《圣经》(King James Bible)中,busybody 一词出现于《帖撒罗尼迦后书》(2 Thessalonians 3:11):"For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies."
苏珊娜·森特利弗(Susanna Centlivre)的喜剧 The Busybody(1709)以此词作为剧名,剧中主角 Marplot 是一个典型的好事者形象,好心却总是帮倒忙。