Sekirov Dictionary

scruple

/ˈskɹuːpəl/

noun 5
verb 4
forms 5

noun5

•
Hesitation to act from the difficulty of determining what is right or expedient; doubt, hesitation or unwillingness due to motives of conscience; moral qualm.
- Ricky, I'm going to miss you. Apparently you're the only one in Casablanca with less scruples than I. — 1942
•
A weight of ¹⁄₂₈₈ of a pound, that is, twenty grains or one third of a dram, about 1.3 grams (symbol: ℈).
- The Oyle serueth in many operations, and specially in all colde diseases, if they be inwardly, give thereof euerye morning one scruple to drinke, and if they be outward annoynt. — 1580
•
A Hebrew unit of time equal to ¹⁄₁₀₈₀ hour.
- The Mahometan year consists of 12 lunar months, each containing 29 days, 12 hours and 792 scruples; (1080 scruples = 1 hour) so that the year contains 354 days, 8 hours and 864 scruples. — 1812
•
(no longer used) A doubt or uncertainty concerning a matter of fact; intellectual perplexity.
- There arose a Scruple, nay, it amount to a Question, whether to attempt an Escape from my Patron, one that so dearly Loved me, so fairly bought me, were justifiable before God and Men? — 1676
(no longer used) A very small quantity; a particle.

verb4

•
To hesitate or be reluctant to act due to considerations of conscience or expedience.
- They wouldn't scruple to cheat us if given the opportunity.
To regard with suspicion; to question.
To excite scruples in; to cause to scruple.
•
(no longer used) To question the truth of (a fact, etc.); to doubt; to hesitate to believe, to question.
- I do not scruple to admit that all the Earth seeth but only half of the Moon.

forms

scrupled · scrupling · scruples · scrupleth · scruplest

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