Scruple \Scru"ple\, v. t.

1. To regard with suspicion; to hesitate at; to question.

Others long before them . . . scrupled more the books of hereties than of gentiles. --Milton.

2. To excite scruples in; to cause to scruple. [R.]

Letters which did still scruple many of them. --E. Symmons.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Scruple \Scru"ple\, n. [L. scrupulus a small sharp or pointed stone, the twenty-fourth part of an ounce, a scruple, uneasiness, doubt, dim. of scrupus a rough or sharp stone, anxiety, uneasiness; perh. akin to Gr. ? the chippings of stone, ? a razor, Skr. kshura: cf. F. scrupule.]

1. A weight of twenty grains; the third part of a dram.

2. Hence, a very small quantity; a particle.

I will not bate thee a scruple. --Shak.

3. Hesitation as to action from the difficulty of determining what is right or expedient; unwillingness, doubt, or hesitation proceeding from motives of conscience.

He was made miserable by the conflict between his tastes and his scruples. --Macaulay.

To make scruple, to hesitate from conscientious motives; to scruple. --Locke.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Scruple \Scru"ple\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Scrupled; p. pr. & vb. n. Skrupling.]

To be reluctant or to hesitate, as regards an action, on account of considerations of conscience or expedience.

We are often over-precise, scrupling to say or do those things which lawfully we may. --Fuller.

Men scruple at the lawfulness of a set form of divine worship. --South.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)