conscience

conscience
[[t]kɒ̱nʃ(ə)ns[/t]]
consciences
1) N-COUNT: usu sing, with supp, oft poss N, adj N Your conscience is the part of your mind that tells you whether what you are doing is right or wrong. If you have a guilty conscience, you feel guilty about something because you know it was wrong. If you have a clear conscience, you do not feel guilty because you know you have done nothing wrong.

I have battled with my conscience over whether I should actually send this letter...

What if he got a guilty conscience and brought it back?...

I could go away again with a clear conscience.

2) N-UNCOUNT Conscience is doing what you believe is right even though it might be unpopular, difficult, or dangerous.

He refused for reasons of conscience to sign a new law legalising abortion.

...the law on freedom of conscience and religious organizations.

3) N-UNCOUNT Conscience is a feeling of guilt because you know you have done something that is wrong.

I'm so glad he had a pang of conscience...

They have shown a ruthless lack of conscience.

Syn:
4) PHRASE: PHR with cl, with brd-neg If you say that you cannot do something in all conscience, in good conscience, or in conscience, you mean that you cannot do it because you think it is wrong.

She could not, in good conscience, back out on her deal with him.

5) PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR If you have something on your conscience, you feel guilty because you know you have done something wrong.

Now the murderer has two deaths on his conscience.


English dictionary. 2008.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Conscience — conscience …   Philosophy dictionary

  • CONSCIENCE — Le mot latin conscientia est naturellement décomposé en «cum scientia». Cette étymologie suggère non seulement la connaissance de l’objet par le sujet, mais que cet objet fait toujours référence au sujet lui même. Le terme allemand Bewusstsein… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Conscience — • The individual, as in him customary rules acquire ethical character by the recognition of distinct principles and ideals, all tending to a final unity or goal, which for the mere evolutionist is left very indeterminate, but for the Christian… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • conscience — CONSCIENCE. s. f. Lumière intérieure, sentiment intérieur par lequel l homme se rend témoignage à luimême du bien et du mal qu il fait. Conscience timorée. Conscience délicate. Conscience scrupuleuse. Conscience tendre. Bonne conscience.… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • conscience — Conscience. s. f. Lumiere interieure, sentiment interieur, par lequel l homme se rend tesmoignage à luy mesme du bien & du mal qu il fait. Conscience honorée conscience delicate. conscience scrupuleuse. conscience tendre. bonne conscience.… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • conscience — Conscience, Dire en sa conscience, Bona fide dicere. A ma conscience, Selon ce que je pense, Ex animi sententia. Homme de bonne conscience, Religiosus. Loyauté et bonne conscience, Religio et fides, B. Une exemplaire d une droite et bonne… …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • Conscience — Con science, n. [F. conscience, fr. L. conscientia, fr. consciens, p. pr. of conscire to know, to be conscious; con + scire to know. See {Science}.] 1. Knowledge of one s own thoughts or actions; consciousness. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] The sweetest… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • conscience — con·science adj: exempting persons whose religious beliefs forbid compliance conscience laws, which allow physicians...to refuse to participate in abortions W. J. Curran Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • CONSCIENCE (H.) — CONSCIENCE HENRI (1812 1883) Écrivain flamand. Épris de son pays, Conscience résolut d’écrire en une langue que la bourgeoisie francophone de l’époque considérait comme un patois destiné au vulgaire. Le romantisme nationaliste lui inspira Le Lion …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • conscience — early 13c., from O.Fr. conscience conscience, innermost thoughts, desires, intentions; feelings (12c.), from L. conscientia knowledge within oneself, sense of right, a moral sense, from conscientem (nom. consciens), prp. of conscire be (mutually) …   Etymology dictionary

  • conscience — [kän′shəns] n. [OFr < L conscientia, consciousness, moral sense < prp. of conscire < com , with + scire, to know (see SCIENCE): replacing ME inwit, knowledge within] 1. a knowledge or sense of right and wrong, with an urge to do right;… …   English World dictionary

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