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SCRUPULOUS
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I. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Characterized by extreme care and great effort
Example:
scrupulous attention to details
Synonyms:
conscientious; painstaking; scrupulous
Classified under:
Similar:
careful (exercising caution or showing care or attention)
Derivation:
scrupulousness (strict attention to minute details)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Having scruples; arising from a sense of right and wrong; principled
Example:
less scrupulous producers sent bundles that were deceptive in appearance
Classified under:
Similar:
religious (extremely scrupulous and conscientious)
Also:
principled (based on or manifesting objectively defined standards of rightness or morality)
Antonym:
unscrupulous (without scruples or principles)
Derivation:
scruple (an ethical or moral principle that inhibits action)
scruple (uneasiness about the fitness of an action)
scrupulousness (conformity to high standards of ethics or excellence)
Context examples:
Do not you think, Anne, it is being over-scrupulous?
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
So scrupulous for others, he continued, and yet so careless for herself!
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
Excepting the moments of peculiar delight, which any marked or unlooked-for instance of Edmund's consideration of her in the last few months had excited, Fanny had never known so much felicity in her life, as in this unchecked, equal, fearless intercourse with the brother and friend who was opening all his heart to her, telling her all his hopes and fears, plans, and solicitudes respecting that long thought of, dearly earned, and justly valued blessing of promotion; who could give her direct and minute information of the father and mother, brothers and sisters, of whom she very seldom heard; who was interested in all the comforts and all the little hardships of her home at Mansfield; ready to think of every member of that home as she directed, or differing only by a less scrupulous opinion, and more noisy abuse of their aunt Norris, and with whom (perhaps the dearest indulgence of the whole) all the evil and good of their earliest years could be gone over again, and every former united pain and pleasure retraced with the fondest recollection.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
He is so very strict and scrupulous in his notions; over-scrupulous I must say.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
She was displeased; I thought unreasonably so: I thought her, on a thousand occasions, unnecessarily scrupulous and cautious: I thought her even cold.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
As a sister, so partial and so angry, and so little scrupulous of what she said, and in another light so triumphant and secure, she was in every way an object of painful alarm.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
If I did not know her to be happy now, said Emma, seriously, which, in spite of every little drawback from her scrupulous conscience, she must be, I could not bear these thanks;—for, oh!
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
The coachman drove round to a minute; another minute brought down the gentleman; and as the lady had, with a most scrupulous fear of being late, been many minutes seated in the drawing-room, Sir Thomas saw them off in as good time as his own correctly punctual habits required.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
Three of the characters were now cast, besides Mr. Rushworth, who was always answered for by Maria as willing to do anything; when Julia, meaning, like her sister, to be Agatha, began to be scrupulous on Miss Crawford's account.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
