The Only Use of
scruples
in
Cyrano de Bergerac
- I do not prank myself out, puppy-like; My toilet is more thorough, if less gay; I would not sally forth—a half-washed-out Affront upon my cheek—a conscience Yellow-eyed, bilious, from its sodden sleep, A ruffled honor,scruples grimed and dull!†
Act 1
Definitions:
-
(1)
(scruples) ethical or moral principles that discourage certain kinds of action
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Much more rarely, scruple can be used as a verb meaning "hesitate on moral grounds" as in "He lied and did not even scruple about it."
Even more rarely and archaically, at one time a scruple was a measure of weight equal to 20 grains (about 1.3 grams).