conscience

[ kon-shuhns ]

noun

1. the inner sense of what is right or wrong in one's conduct or motives, impelling one toward right action:

   to follow the dictates of conscience.

2. the complex of ethical and moral principles that controls or inhibits the actions or thoughts of an individual.
3. an inhibiting sense of what is prudent:

   I'd eat another piece of pie but my conscience would bother me.

4. conscientiousness.
5. Obsolete. consciousness; self-knowledge.
6. Obsolete. strict and reverential observance.

conscience

/ ˈkɒnʃəns /

noun

1. 1. the sense of right and wrong that governs a person's thoughts and actions
   2. regulation of one's actions in conformity to this sense
   3. a supposed universal faculty of moral insight
2. conscientiousness; diligence
3. a feeling of guilt or anxiety

   he has a conscience about his unkind action

4. obsolete.
   consciousness
5. in conscience
   in consciencein all conscience
   1. with regard to truth and justice
   2. certainly
6. on one's conscience
   on one's conscience causing feelings of guilt or remorse

Derived Forms

• ˈconscienceless, adjective

Other Words From

• conscience·less adjective
• conscience·less·ly adverb
• conscience·less·ness noun
• sub·conscience noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of conscience¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin conscientia “knowledge, awareness, conscience”; equivalent to con- + science

Word History and Origins

Origin of conscience¹

C13: from Old French, from Latin conscientia knowledge, consciousness, from conscīre to know; see conscious

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. have something on one's conscience, to feel guilty about something, as an act that one considers wrong:

   She behaves as if she had something on her conscience.

2. in all conscience, Also in conscience.
   1. in all reason and fairness.
   2. certainly; assuredly.

More idioms and phrases containing conscience

see have a clear conscience ; in conscience .

Example Sentences

Instead, straighten your civic backbone and push back in clear conscience.

From The Daily Beast

Better to be a beggar in freedom,” he cried out, “than to be forced into compromises against my conscience.

From The Daily Beast

Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Oskar Schindler—these names come readily to mind when we think of heroes of conscience.

From The Daily Beast

As you put it, “letting some business owners exercise their conscience would cause no harm to gays.”

From The Daily Beast

“Nothing in this country of good conscience has ever happened without protest,” he said.

From The Daily Beast

She reached forward to it in ecstasy; but she might not enjoy it, save at the price which her conscience exacted.

From Project Gutenberg

In this way it will be managed with less offense and with more ease to the conscience than now.

From Project Gutenberg

My conscience importuned me to tell her bluntly that they would only come into Walsh feet first.

From Project Gutenberg

That he might lose his head and 'introduce an element of sex' was conscience confessing that it had been already introduced.

From Project Gutenberg

But the conscience of Louis was at rest; and he soon found that "man does not live by bread alone!"

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• shame