All 3 Uses of
conscientious
in
An Enemy of the People
- I have investigated the matter most conscientiously.†
Act 1 *conscientiously = in a manner that is careful to do what is right
- And, what is more, we shall expect you to make public profession of your confidence in the Committee and in their readiness to consider fully and conscientiously what steps may be necessary to remedy any possible defects.†
Act 2
- And there must be a plentiful lack of oxygen in very many houses in this town, I should think, judging from the fact that the whole compact majority can be unconscientious enough to wish to build the town's prosperity on a quagmire of falsehood and deceit.†
Act 4unconscientious = not careful to do what is rightstandard prefix: The prefix "un-" in unconscientious means not and reverses the meaning of conscientious. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.
Definition:
careful to do what is right--especially to perform duties in a thorough manner