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Vacillate vs Scruple - What's the difference?

vacillate | scruple | Related terms |

Vacillate is a related term of scruple.


In lang=en terms the difference between vacillate and scruple

is that vacillate is to swing indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another while scruple is to be reluctant or to hesitate, as regards an action, on account of considerations of conscience or expedience.

As verbs the difference between vacillate and scruple

is that vacillate is to sway unsteadily from one side to the other; oscillate while scruple is to be reluctant or to hesitate, as regards an action, on account of considerations of conscience or expedience.

As a noun scruple is

(obsolete) a weight of twenty grains; the third part of a dram.

vacillate

English

Verb

(vacillat)
  • To sway unsteadily from one side to the other; oscillate.
  • * 1910:
    • Its [the barometer's] normal register in the Paumotus [the Tuamotus] was 29.90, and it was quite customary to see it vacillate between 29.85 and 30.00, or even 30.05; [...]
  • To swing indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another.
  • * 2004: , Character: Profiles in Presidential Courage
    • On the streets of Berlin, Ruth and her compatriots vacillated "between hope and despair."

    Synonyms

    * (to sway from one side to the other) stagger * (to swing indecisively) blow hot and cold, waffle

    Related terms

    * vacillant * vacillating * vacillation * vacillator * vacillatory

    External links

    * * *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    scruple

    English

    (Webster 1913)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (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
    • 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 .
  • Hesitation as to action from the difficulty of determining what is right or expedient; unwillingness, doubt, or hesitation proceeding from motives of conscience.
    • He was made miserable by the conflict between his tastes and his scruples . - .
  • (obsolete) A doubt or uncertainty concerning a matter of fact; intellectual perplexity.
  • A measurement of time. Hebrew culture broke the hour into 1080 scruples.

    • Synonyms

    * (precise weight) * (small amount) see also .

    Derived terms

    * scrupulous * unscrupulous

    Verb

    (scrupl)
  • To be reluctant or to hesitate, as regards an action, on account of considerations of conscience or expedience.
    • 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. - .
  • To regard with suspicion; to hesitate at; to question.
    • Others long before them ... scrupled more the books of hereties than of gentiles. - .
  • (obsolete) To doubt; to question; to hesitate to believe; to question the truth of (a fact, etc.).
    • I do not scruple to admit that all the Earth seeth but only half of the Moon.
  • To excite scruples in; to cause to scruple.
    • Letters which did still scruple many of them. -E. Symmons.

    External links

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    Anagrams

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