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conscience

con·science [ kónshənss ] (plural con·sciences)


noun 
Definition:
 
1. sense of right and wrong: the sense of what is right and wrong that governs somebody's thoughts and actions, urging him or her to do right rather than wrong
Let your conscience be your guide.

2. obedience to conscience: behavior according to what your sense of right and wrong tells you is right
campaigning on behalf of prisoners of conscience

3. shared moral viewpoint: a shared concern for moral issues
a social conscience

4. psychoanalysis part of superego: the part of the superego that passes judgment on thought and behavior to the ego for further consideration

[13th century. Via Old French< Latin conscientia "consciousness" < conscire "be conscious," literally "know thoroughly" < scire "know"]

con·science·less adjective

in all or good conscience 

1. 
while being fair and reasonable
 

2. 
used to emphasize that what you are saying is truly the case


on somebody's conscience causing somebody to feel guilty or anxious about something


Word Usage

See conscientious.

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