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Wiktionary

conscience

English

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Etymology

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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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  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈkɒn.ʃəns/, /ˈkɒn.tʃəns/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈkɑn.ʃəns/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

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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

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Collocations

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Adjectives often used with "conscience"

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

Collocations

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Some phrases with "conscience"

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

Translations

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See also

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Further reading

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French

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Etymology

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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

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Noun

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conscience f (plural consciences)

  1. conscience
  2. consciousness

Antonyms

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Derived terms

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Further reading

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Middle English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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

Noun

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conscience (plural consciences)

  1. conscience

Descendants

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

References

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Old French

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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

Noun

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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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