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Noun: scruple  skroo-pul
  1. A unit of apothecary weight equal to 20 grains
     
  2. Uneasiness about the fitness of an action (particularly for reasons of ethics, morals or propriety)
    - qualm, misgiving
     
  3. An ethical or moral principle that inhibits action
Verb: scruple  skroo-pul
  1. Hesitate on moral grounds
    "The man scrupled to perjure himself"
     
  2. Raise scruples
    "He lied and did not even scruple about it"
     
  3. Have doubts about

Derived forms: scrupling, scruples, scrupled

Type of: anxiety, apothecaries' unit, apothecaries' weight, fret, fuss, hesitate, niggle, pause, principle, question, wonder

Part of: drachm, drachma, dram

Encyclopedia: Scruple