n.
- a feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality or propriety of an action.
- historical a unit of weight equal to 20 grains used by apothecaries.
▸archaic a very small amount.
v.
hesitate or be reluctant to do something that one thinks may be wrong.
Etymology
ME: from Fr. scrupule or L. scrupulus, from scrupus, lit. ‘rough pebble’, (figuratively) ‘anxiety’.