compunctioncom‧punc‧tion /kəmˈpʌŋkʃən/ noun [uncountable usually in negatives] formal 
He had no compunction about interfering in her private affairs. They used their tanks against the leftists without compunction.
WORD ORIGINcompunction
Origin:
1300-1400 Old French componction, from Late Latin, from Latin compungere ‘to sting’, from com- ( ➔ COM-) + pungere ( ➔ PUNGENT)EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- Alistair left me and judy together with no compunction while he went off with the others.
- But they were generally accompanied by a sense of compunction and self-abasement of which Newland Archer felt no trace.
- Compared to people in other functional areas, they feel little compunction about challenging or questioning a superior.
- Four weeks ago, early yesterday even, she would have said no, without compunction.
- I have no compunction about seeing you in the gutter.
- Maskelyne felt no compunction to answer any of these allegations.
- When there was evidence, the prosecution had no compunction about strengthening it with lies.
- Without compunction, Fox kicked him awake.
Longman Language Activatorto not feel guilty about something
· I made her cry but I don't feel guilty -- she deserved it.not feel guilty about · Working mothers shouldn't feel guilty about wanting a career.· I don't understand how on earth he can go on lying like that and not feel guilty about it.
if you have a clear conscience , you feel that you have not done anything wrong, so that you do not feel guilty about anything you have done: with a clear conscience: · You can face Lionel with a clear conscience -- you've done nothing to harm him.have a clear conscience: · Let them say whatever they like. I have a clear conscience.
if you have no qualms about doing something, you have no worries or doubts about whether what you are doing is right, even though other people may think it is wrong: have no qualms about: · She had no qualms about sending her young children to boarding school.· Donald had been stealing stationery from work for years and had no qualms about it at all.
formal to not feel guilty about doing something, even though other people may think it is wrong: · I warn you. These people have no compunction whatsoever and cannot be trusted.have/feel no compunction about: · Eliot felt no compunction about living at the expense of his friends.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY He had no compunction about interfering in her private affairs. They used their tanks against the leftists without compunction.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB
a feeling that you should not do something because it is bad or wronghave/feel no compunction about (doing) something He had no compunction about interfering in her private affairs. They used their tanks against the leftists without compunction.· He felt no compunction in leaving his other two children, Betty could look after herself.· Maskelyne felt no compunction to answer any of these allegations.· Compared to people in other functional areas, they feel little compunction about challenging or questioning a superior.
He had no compunction about interfering in her private affairs. They used their tanks against the leftists without compunction.