French Conversation · Level 189
15 words
French word
scrupule
Pronunciation
IPA/skʁypyl/
Meaning
- masculine nounqualm
Example
Elle n'a aucun scrupule à mentir.
She has no qualms about lying.
More examples
Il a des scrupules avant de signer le contrat.
He has qualms before signing the contract.
Core concept
A prick of conscience that stops a person before a questionable act.
Common phrases
avoir des scrupules
have qualms
être sans scrupules
have no scruples
manquer de scrupules
lack scruples
Similar words
conscience: The mental faculty that judges whether actions are right or wrong.
remords: Painful remorse over something done in the past.
culpabilité: The feeling of being at fault for a wrongdoing.
Definition in French
État de conscience troublée par un doute moral, entraînant remords ou hésitation.
Word origin
Latin scrupulus meant a small sharp stone and gave French scrupule its later sense of a nagging moral doubt.
Usage tips
- Sans scrupule and sans scrupules describe someone acting without moral restraint, so the phrase is strongly negative.
Opposites
- immoralitéimmoralitynoun
Related words
- scrupuleuxscrupulousadjective
- scrupuleusementscrupulouslyadverb
- scrupulositéscrupulousnessnoun