scruple

scruple
scru|ple1 [ˈskru:pəl] n [C usually plural, U]
[Date: 1400-1500; : Old French; Origin: scrupule, from Latin scrupulus 'small sharp stone, cause of mental discomfort', from scrupus 'sharp stone']
a belief about what is right and wrong that prevents you from doing bad things
scruples about doing sth
He had no scruples about selling faulty goods to people.
a man with no moral scruples
without scruple
They made thousands of families homeless without scruple.
scruple 2
scruple2 v
not scruple to do sth
literary to be willing to do something even though it may be wrong or may upset people
They did not scruple to bomb innocent civilians.

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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  • Scruple — Scru ple, n. [L. scrupulus a small sharp or pointed stone, the twenty fourth part of an ounce, a scruple, uneasiness, doubt, dim. of scrupus a rough or sharp stone, anxiety, uneasiness; perh. akin to Gr. ? the chippings of stone, ? a razor, Skr.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Scruple — • An unfounded apprehension and consequently unwarranted fear that something is a sin which, as a matter of fact, is not Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Scruple     Scruple      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Scruple — Scru ple, v. t. 1. To regard with suspicion; to hesitate at; to question. [1913 Webster] Others long before them . . . scrupled more the books of heretics than of gentiles. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. To excite scruples in; to cause to scruple.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Scruple — Scru ple, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Scrupled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Scrupling}.] To be reluctant or to hesitate, as regards an action, on account of considerations of conscience or expedience. [1913 Webster] We are often over precise, scrupling to say or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • scruple — n demur, *qualm, compunction Analogous words: *hesitation, hesitancy: doubt, *uncertainty, suspicion, mistrust: misgiving, *apprehension scruple vb *demur, bal …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • scruple — [n] misgiving, doubt anxiety, caution, censor, compunction, conscience, demur, difficulty, faltering, hesitancy, hesitation, pause, perplexity, qualm, reconsideration, reluctance, reluctancy, second thought*, squeamishness, superego, twinge,… …   New thesaurus

  • Scruple — (spr. ßkrūp l), im engl. Apothekergewicht 20 Grains (Minims) = 1,296 g und im frühern Handelsgewicht 10 Grains avdp. = 591 mg …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • scruple — I noun anxiety, apprehension, apprehensiveness, compunction, concern, cunctatio, doubt, doubtfulness, drawback, dubiety, dubiousness, dubitatio, fear, fearfulness, haesitatio, hesitancy, hesitation, misgiving, objection, qualm, question,… …   Law dictionary

  • Scruple —   [skruːpl, englisch] das, / s, Einheitenzeichen s, in Großbritannien und den USA gebräuchliche Masseneinheit des Apothecaries Systems für Drogen und Arzneimittel, 1 s = 20 grain = 1,295 978 4 g …   Universal-Lexikon

  • scruple — ► NOUN 1) a feeling of doubt as to whether an action is morally right. 2) historical a unit of weight used by apothecaries, equal to 20 grains. ► VERB ▪ hesitate to do something that one thinks may be wrong. ORIGIN from Latin scrupus, literally… …   English terms dictionary

  • scruple — [skro͞o′pəl] n. [MFr scrupule < L scrupulus, small sharp stone (hence small weight, difficulty, doubt), dim. of scrupus, sharp stone < IE * skreup < base * (s)ker , to cut] 1. a very small quantity, amount, or part 2. a) an ancient Roman …   English World dictionary

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