conscience

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English

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Etymology

From Middle English conscience, from Old French conscience, from Latin conscientia (“knowledge within oneself”), from consciens, present participle of conscire (“to know, to be conscious (of wrong)”), from com- (“together”) + scire (“to know”).

Pronunciation

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  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

conscience (countable and uncountable, plural consciences)

  1. The ethical or moral sense of right and wrong, chiefly as it affects a person’s own behaviour and forms their attitude to their past actions.
    Your conscience is your highest authority.
    • 1949, Albert Einstein, as quoted by Virgil Henshaw in Albert Einstein: Philosopher Scientist,
      Never do anything against conscience, even if the state demands it.
    • 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 159:
      As for Grierson, he poured liquor into himself as if it were so much soothing syrup, demonstrating that a good digestion is the highest form of good conscience.
    • 1951, Isaac Asimov, Foundation, Panther Books Ltd, published 1974, part V: The Merchant Princes, chapter 14, page 175:
      [“]Twer is not a friend of mine testifying against me reluctantly and for conscience’ sake, as the prosecution would have you believe. He is a spy, performing his paid job.[”]
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 18, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
      ‘Then the father has a great fight with his terrible conscience,’ said Munday with granite seriousness. ‘Should he make a row with the police […] ? Or should he say nothing about it and condone brutality for fear of appearing in the newspapers?
  2. (chiefly fiction, narratology) A personification of the moral sense of right and wrong, usually in the form of a person, a being or merely a voice that gives moral lessons and advices.
  3. (obsolete) Consciousness; thinking; awareness, especially self-awareness.

Derived terms

Collocations

Adjectives often used with "conscience"

good, bad, guilty. A good conscience is one free from guilt, a bad conscience the opposite.

Collocations

Some phrases with "conscience"

for reasons of conscience, to make a matter of conscience, the dictates of one's conscience

Translations

See also

Further reading

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French conscience, borrowed from Latin cōnscientia (“knowledge within oneself”), from consciens, present participle of conscire (“to know, to be conscious (of wrong)”).

Pronunciation

Noun

conscience f (plural consciences)

  1. conscience
  2. consciousness

Antonyms

Derived terms

Further reading

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French conscience, from Latin conscientia (“knowledge within oneself”).

Noun

conscience (plural consciences)

  1. conscience

Descendants

  • English: conscience
  • Yola: coshes, coshe, cosh
  • → Irish: coinsias

References

Old French

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin conscientia (“knowledge within oneself”).

Noun

conscience oblique singular, f (oblique plural consciences, nominative singular conscience, nominative plural consciences)

  1. conscience
    la conscience ne remort point a ces riches homme
    the conscience doesn't bite these rich men

Descendants

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