Scru"ple (?), n. [L. scrupulus a small sharp or pointed stone, the twenty-fourth part of an ounce, a scruple, uneasiness, doubt, dim. of scrupus a rough or sharp stone, anxiety, uneasiness; perh. akin to Gr. the chippings of stone, a razor, Skr. kshura: cf. F. scrupule.]
1.
A weight of twenty grains; the third part of a dram.
2.
Hence, a very small quantity; a particle.
I will not bate thee a scruple.
Shak.
3.
Hesitation as to action from the difficulty of determining what is right or expedient; unwillingness, doubt, or hesitation proceeding from motives of conscience.
He was made miserable by the conflict between his tastes and his scruples.
Macaulay.
To make scruple, to hesitate from conscientious motives; to scruple. Locke.
© Webster 1913.
Scru"ple, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Scrupled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Skrupling (?).]
To be reluctant or to hesitate, as regards an action, on account of considerations of conscience or expedience.
We are often over-precise, scrupling to say or do those things which lawfully we may.
Fuller.
Men scruple at the lawfulness of a set form of divine worship.
South.
© Webster 1913.
Scru"ple, v. t.
1.
To regard with suspicion; to hesitate at; to question.
Others long before them . . . scrupled more the books of hereties than of gentiles.
Milton.
2.
To excite scruples in; to cause to scruple.
[R.]
Letters which did still scruple many of them.
E. Symmons.
© Webster 1913.