Scruple - What does it mean?
scruple | |
(obsolete) A weight of twenty grains; the third part of a dram.
(obsolete) Hence, a very small quantity; a particle.
* Ca 1601–1608 , , As You Like It , Act II Scene 3 221–222
Hesitation as to action from the difficulty of determining what is right or expedient; unwillingness, doubt, or hesitation proceeding from motives of conscience.
(obsolete) A doubt or uncertainty concerning a matter of fact; intellectual perplexity.
A measurement of time. Hebrew culture broke the hour into 1080 scruples.
To be reluctant or to hesitate, as regards an action, on account of considerations of conscience or expedience.
To regard with suspicion; to hesitate at; to question.
(obsolete) To doubt; to question; to hesitate to believe; to question the truth of (a fact, etc.).
To excite scruples in; to cause to scruple.
scruple
English
(Webster 1913)Noun
(en noun)- Paroles: I have not, my lord, deserved it.'' Lafeu: ''Yes, good faith, ev'ry dram of it, and I will not bate thee a scruple .
- He was made miserable by the conflict between his tastes and his scruples . - .
Synonyms
* (precise weight) * (small amount) see also .Derived terms
* scrupulous * unscrupulousVerb
(scrupl)- We are often over-precise, scrupling to say or do those things which lawfully we may. - .
- Men scruple at the lawfulness of a set form of divine worship. - .
- Others long before them ... scrupled more the books of hereties than of gentiles. - .
- I do not scruple to admit that all the Earth seeth but only half of the Moon.
- Letters which did still scruple many of them. -E. Symmons.