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Scruples

/ˈskruː.pəlz/noun / verb
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Scruples refer to a deep-seated sense of moral doubt or hesitation that prevents someone from acting, often serving as an internal ethical guardrail in tricky situations. In modern contexts, they highlight the tension between personal integrity and practical demands, like when professionals weigh the risks of a decision that could benefit many but harm a few.

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Beyond ethics, a scruple was an ancient Roman unit of weight equal to about 1.295 grams, still used in pharmacology today for measuring medications, showing how the word bridges physical irritation and precise measurement. This duality reminds us that something as small as a pebble can tip the scales in both science and morality.

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Oxford English DictionaryMerriam-Webster DictionaryEtymonlineBritannica

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