conscience
- 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.
- the complex of ethical and moral principles that controls or inhibits the actions or thoughts of an individual.
- an inhibiting sense of what is prudent: I'd eat another piece of pie but my conscience would bother me.
- conscientiousness.
- Obsolete. consciousness; self-knowledge.
- Obsolete. strict and reverential observance.
- 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.
- in all conscience,
- in all reason and fairness.
- certainly; assuredly.
Origin of conscience
Examples from the Web for conscienceless
Contemporary Examples of conscienceless
They're not just conscienceless industrial killing machines.
There was always “that dreadful Southern vivacity” and the locals with the “conscienceless” eyes.
Historical Examples of conscienceless
He had none of the direct, passionate, conscienceless resolution of Laertes.
The Man ShakespeareFrank Harris
The wound she had received from Philip had left her conscienceless towards Pete.
The ManxmanHall Caine
The village life abounds with jokers, Shiftless, conscienceless and shrewd.
Prairie FolksHamlin Garland
I will help him throw off the shackles with which conscienceless capitalism has fettered him.
The MaskArthur Hornblow
If you want to and if I want you to, it shows that you are cruel and I conscienceless.
The Dull Miss ArchinardAnne Douglas Sedgwick
conscience
- the sense of right and wrong that governs a person's thoughts and actions
- regulation of one's actions in conformity to this sense
- a supposed universal faculty of moral insight
- conscientiousness; diligence
- a feeling of guilt or anxietyhe has a conscience about his unkind action
- obsolete consciousness
- in conscience or in all conscience
- with regard to truth and justice
- certainly
- on one's conscience causing feelings of guilt or remorse
Word Origin for conscience
Word Origin and History for conscienceless
conscience
early 13c., from Old French conscience "conscience, innermost thoughts, desires, intentions; feelings" (12c.), from Latin conscientia "knowledge within oneself, sense of right, a moral sense," from conscientem (nominative consciens), present participle of conscire "be (mutually) aware," from com- "with," or "thoroughly" (see com-) + scire "to know" (see science).
Probably a loan-translation of Greek syneidesis, literally "with-knowledge." Sometimes nativized in Old English/Middle English as inwit. Russian also uses a loan-translation, so-vest, "conscience," literally "with-knowledge."
conscience
(kŏn′shəns)- The awareness of a moral or ethical aspect to one's conduct together with the urge to prefer right over wrong.
- The part of the superego that judges the ethical nature of one's actions and thoughts and then transmits such determinations to the ego for consideration.
Idioms and Phrases with conscienceless
conscience
see have a clear conscience; in conscience.