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Definition of Scruple
1. Verb. Hesitate on moral grounds. "The man scrupled to perjure himself"
2. Noun. A unit of apothecary weight equal to 20 grains.
Terms within: Grain
Group relationships: Drachm, Drachma, Dram
3. Verb. Raise scruples. "He lied and did not even scruple about it"
4. Noun. Uneasiness about the fitness of an action.
5. Verb. Have doubts about.
6. Noun. An ethical or moral principle that inhibits action.
Definition of Scruple
1. n. A weight of twenty grains; the third part of a dram.
2. v. i. To be reluctant or to hesitate, as regards an action, on account of considerations of conscience or expedience.
3. v. t. To regard with suspicion; to hesitate at; to question.
Definition of Scruple
1. Noun. (obsolete) A weight of twenty grains; the third part of a dram. ¹
2. Noun. (obsolete) Hence, a very small quantity; a particle. ¹
3. Noun. Hesitation as to action from the difficulty of determining what is right or expedient; unwillingness, doubt, or hesitation proceeding from motives of conscience; to consider if something is ethical. ¹
4. Noun. (obsolete) A doubt or uncertainty concerning a matter of fact; intellectual perplexity. ¹
5. Noun. A measurement of time. Hebrew culture broke the hour into 1080 scruples. ¹
6. Verb. (intransitive) To be reluctant or to hesitate, as regards an action, on account of considerations of conscience or expedience. ¹
7. Verb. To regard with suspicion; to hesitate at; to question. ¹
8. Verb. (obsolete) To doubt; to question; to hesitate to believe; to question the truth of (a fact, etc.). ¹
9. Verb. To excite scruples in; to cause to scruple. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of Scruple
1. to hesitate because of ethical considerations [v -PLED, -PLING, -PLES]
Medical Definition of Scruple
1. An apothecaries' weight of 20 grains or one-third of a dram. Origin: L. Scrupulus, a small sharp stone, a weight, the 24th part of an ounce, a scruple, dim. Of scrupus, a sharp stone (05 Mar 2000)
Lexicographical Neighbors of Scruple
Literary usage of Scruple
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Jeremy Taylor: With a Life of the Author by Jeremy Taylor, Reginald Heber (1828)
"This is a right course in the matter of scruple; proceed to action; and as the
reason or the fear in the scruple was not inducement enough to begin, ..."
2. The Living Age by Making of America Project, Eliakim Littell, Robert S. Littell (1868)
"... his vanity, or his enmity, he would dress it up in that fashion without any
scruple and often with аз little probability; by which means, gas much as he ..."
3. The Lancet (1842)
"A Bertin remedy, to us, at least, practically new, was. then tried for a fortnight,
namely, indigo ; this wag increased from one scruple to drachm doses ..."
4. The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. by James Boswell (1826)
"... her liberty;" and Johnson, assuming this to be true, stigmatizes her with
indignation, as " the wretch who had without scruple proclaimed herself an ..."
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