scruple: [16] Latin scrūpus meant ‘sharp stone’, and the notion of something troubling the mind like a painful stone in the shoe led to its metaphorical use for ‘anxiety, doubt, particularly over a moral issue’. Both meanings were carried over into the diminutive form scrūpulus, which also came to be used for a very small unit of weight. This passed into English via French scrupule as scruple, on the way losing the literal sense ‘small stone’.
scruple (v.)
"to have or make scruples," 1620s, from scruple (n.). Related: Scrupled; scrupling.
scruple (n.)
"moral misgiving, pang of conscience," late 14c., from Old French scrupule (14c.), from Latin scrupulus "uneasiness, anxiety, pricking of conscience," literally "small sharp stone," diminutive of scrupus "sharp stone or pebble," used figuratively by Cicero for a cause of uneasiness or anxiety, probably from the notion of having a pebble in one's shoe. The word in the more literal Latin sense of "small unit of weight or measurement" is attested in English from late 14c.
中文解释
音似“思考入、跑”——各种想法来来去去——顾虑。2. 谐音“是顾了怕”3. scrup- (谐音“石颗路铺、石块路铺”)-----铺路的石块、石头 ----- scrup- "sharp stone or pebble" => scrupul- "small sharp stone".4. => scruple, scrupulous.5. 谐音“石块路怕、石颗路怕”------走石块路当然很怕啦，因为很刺脚，所以有顾虑。6. 谐音“是顾虑怕、是顾虑吧”。
实用例句
1. He acted wrongly and without scruple.
他做了错事毫不内疚.
来自《简明英汉词典》
2. The villain made no scruple of committing murder.
那恶棍杀人不眨眼.
来自《简明英汉词典》
3. He did not scruple to talk crudely either.
年青人毫无拘束的还加上许多粗话蠢话.
来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说
4. She didn't scruple to take Tom from his wife.
她毫不犹豫地从汤姆妻子手中夺走汤姆.
来自辞典例句
5. My only scruple in advising the match was on his account.
