Definition of scruple Scruple

/skɹuˈpʌl/ - [skrupul] - scru•ple

We found 23 definitions of scruple from 5 different sources.

What does scruple mean?

Noun Plural: scruples
scruple - uneasiness about the fitness of an action
		qualm, misgiving
		anxiety a vague unpleasant emotion that is experienced in anticipation of some (usually ill-defined) misfortune
scruple - an ethical or moral principle that inhibits action
		principle a basic truth or law or assumption; "the principles of democracy"
scruple - a unit of apothecary weight equal to 20 grains
		apothecaries' unit apothecaries' weight
		drachma, drachm, dram formerly the basic unit of money in Greece
Verb scruples, scrupling, scrupled
scruple - have doubts about
		wonder, question have a wish or desire to know something; "He wondered who had built this beautiful church"
scruple - raise scruples; "He lied and did not even scruple about it"
		fuss, niggle, fret worry unnecessarily or excessively; "don't fuss too much over the grandchildren--they are quite big now"
scruple - hesitate on moral grounds; "The man scrupled to perjure himself"
		hesitate, pause pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness; "Authorities hesitate to quote exact figures"

= synonym
= antonym
= related word

scruple (Noun)
A weight of twenty grains; the third part of a dram.
scruple (Noun)
Hence, a very small quantity; a particle.
scruple (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.
scruple (Noun)
A doubt or uncertainty concerning a matter of fact; intellectual perplexity.
scruple (Noun)
A measurement of time. Hebrew culture broke the hour into 1080 scruples.
scruple (Verb)
To be reluctant or to hesitate, as regards an action, on account of considerations of conscience or expedience.
scruple (Verb)
To regard with suspicion; to hesitate at; to question.
scruple (Verb)
To doubt; to question; to hesitate to believe; to question the truth of a fact, etc..
scruple (Verb)
To excite scruples in; to cause to scruple.

scruple (n.)
A weight of twenty grains; the third part of a dram.
scruple (n.)
Hence, a very small quantity; a particle.
scruple (n.)
Hesitation as to action from the difficulty of determining what is right or expedient; unwillingness, doubt, or hesitation proceeding from motives of conscience.
scruple (v. i.)
To be reluctant or to hesitate, as regards an action, on account of considerations of conscience or expedience.
scruple (v. t.)
To regard with suspicion; to hesitate at; to question.
scruple (v. t.)
To excite scruples in; to cause to scruple.

scruple
skrōō′pl, n. a small weight—in apothecaries' weight, 20 troy grains, ⅓ drachm, 1⁄24 ounce, and 1⁄288 of a troy pound: a very small quantity: reluctance to decide or act, as from motives of conscience: difficulty.—v.i. to hesitate in deciding or acting.—n. Scru′pler.—adj. Scru′pulous, having scruples, doubts, or objections: conscientious: cautious: exact: captious.—adv. Scru′pulously.—ns. Scru′pulousness, Scrupulos′ity, state of being scrupulous: doubt: niceness: precision. [Fr. scrupule—L. scrupulus, dim. of scrupus, a sharp stone, anxiety.]