scruple

[skroo-puhl]

noun

1. a moral or ethical consideration or standard that acts as a restraining force or inhibits certain actions.

   Synonyms: restraint, compunction, qualm

2. a very small portion or amount.

3. a unit of weight equal to 20 grains (1.295 grams) or 1/3 of a dram, apothecaries' weight.

4. an ancient Roman unit of weight equivalent to 1/24 of an ounce or 1/288 of an as or pound.

verb (used without object)

scrupled, scrupling 

1. to have scruples.

verb (used with object)

scrupled, scrupling 

1. to have scruples about; hesitate at.

   Synonyms: waver

scruple

/ ˈskruːpəl /

noun

1. (often plural) a doubt or hesitation as to what is morally right in a certain situation

2. archaic,  a very small amount

3. a unit of weight equal to 20 grains (1.296 grams)

4. an ancient Roman unit of weight equivalent to approximately one twenty-fourth of an ounce

verb

1. (obsolete when tr) to have doubts (about), esp for a moral reason

Other Word Forms

• scrupleless adjective
• overscruple verb
• unscrupled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of scruple¹

1350–1400; (< French scrupule ) < Latin scrūpulus unit of weight, worry, precaution equivalent to scrūp ( us ) rough pebble + -ulus -ule; replacing earlier scriple, Middle English < Latin scrīpulum (variant scriptulum ) small weight, pebble, alteration of scrūpulus by association with scrīptum writing ( script; for sense relation gram ¹ )

Word History and Origins

Origin of scruple¹

C16: from Latin scrūpulus a small weight, from scrūpus rough stone

Example Sentences

Along with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, the heads of these agencies don’t have many scruples when it comes to this policy.

From Salon

They were both these outsiders from the boroughs with tremendous life force and ambition with a shared, I think, lack of scruple or ethical core, for whom winning was the only moral measure.

From Los Angeles Times

The convicted sex offender who died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 had a low opinion of his former associate, feeling that he had "no scruples" and could not be trusted.

From Salon

But with Kamala Harris and a smattering of small-party candidates the only other options this November, Wade is putting his scruples to one side.

From BBC

Some may have otherwise been stolen by Western visitors with less scruples to be sold on the lucrative European and American artefacts market.

From BBC