scrupled

Variant of scruple

noun

  1. a very small quantity, amount, or part
    1. an ancient Roman unit of weight equal to ounce
    2. a unit of weight equal to dram apothecaries' weight or 20 grains (1.296 grams): abbrev. sc
  2. a feeling of hesitancy, doubt, or uneasiness arising from difficulty in deciding what is right, proper, ethical, etc.; qualm or misgiving about something one thinks is wrong
  3. high ethical standards

Origin: MFr scrupule < L scrupulus, small sharp stone (hence small weight, difficulty, doubt), dim. of scrupus, sharp stone < IE *skreup- < base *(s)ker-, to cut

transitive verb, intransitive verb scrupled, scrupling

to hesitate (at) from doubt or uneasiness; be unwilling because of one's conscience; have scruples (about)
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
link/cite print suggestion box