Conscience is doing what you believe is right even though it might be unpopular, difficult, or dangerous.
He refused for reasons of conscience to sign a new law legalising abortion.
...the law on freedom of conscience and religious organizations.
3. See also prisoner of conscience
4. uncountable noun
Conscience is a feeling of guilt because you know you have done something that is wrong.
I'm so glad he had a pang of conscience.
They have shown a ruthless lack of conscience.
5.
See in good conscience/in all conscience
6.
See on your conscience
More Synonyms of conscience
conscience in British English
(ˈkɒnʃəns)
noun
1.
a.
the sense of right and wrong that governs a person's thoughts and actions
b.
regulation of one's actions in conformity to this sense
c.
a supposed universal faculty of moral insight
2.
conscientiousness; diligence
3.
a feeling of guilt or anxiety
he has a conscience about his unkind action
4. obsolete
consciousness
5. in conscience
6. on one's conscience
Derived forms
conscienceless (ˈconscienceless)
adjective
Word origin
C13: from Old French, from Latin conscientia knowledge, consciousness, from conscīre to know; see conscious
conscience in American English
(ˈkɑnʃəns)
noun
1.
a knowledge or sense of right and wrong, with an urge to do right; moral judgment that opposes the violation of a previously recognized ethical principle and that leads to feelings of guilt if one violates such a principle
2. Obsolete
a.
consciousness
b.
inner thoughts or feelings
Idioms:
in (all) conscience
on one's conscience
Derived forms
conscienceless (ˈconscienceless)
adjective
Word origin
OFr < L conscientia, consciousness, moral sense < prp. of conscire < com-, with + scire, to know (see science): replacing ME inwit, knowledge within
COBUILD Collocations
conscience
clear conscience
Examples of 'conscience' in a sentence
conscience
Our collective challenge is to nurture a sense of moral conscience in future generations.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
So can we wear cut-price party dresses with a clear conscience?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They are low calorie and have a caramel flavour, so they taste as good as your conscience feels.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
He added:'My conscience is clear.
The Sun (2016)
If you try to ease your guilty conscience by telling her what happened, she will be miserable and it will almost certainly put paid to your friendship.
The Sun (2017)
She told the court:'I acted with trust and with a clear conscience with the only intention of defending the public interest.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I have to go to my house with my conscience clear that I gave my all.
The Sun (2016)
This is certainly true of beliefs in the importance of freedom of conscience.
The Times Literary Supplement (2012)
He wanted to clear his conscience before he dies.
The Sun (2015)
They are displaying an alarming lack of social conscience.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
More like to blot out his guilty conscience.
The Sun (2009)
The latter should follow conscience and international law to deliver help where it is needed.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It appears that a conscience is actually good for business.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Because religious freedom is a foundational freedom of conscience.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He can therefore slow down with a clear conscience.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Their lack of conscience helps them a great deal.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Is this the gift of a guilty conscience?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It might make your conscience feel better but how would it make your girlfriend feel?
The Sun (2015)
Racing has all this on its conscience right now, and it should be weighing heavy.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
You don't need much of a social conscience to know this is wrong.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It's for a lot of different things such as prisoners of conscience and human rights.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He has a conscience, he knows right from wrong.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Good for the conscience, but what are they like?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Life's pressures weigh less heavily on those who genuinely have no conscience or guilt, the pathologisttold me.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Quotations
Conscience: the inner voice which warns us that someone may be lookingH.L. MenckenA Little Book in C Major
Thus conscience does make cowards of us allWilliam ShakespeareHamlet
Conscience is thoroughly well-bred and soon leaves off talking to those who do not wish to hear itSamuel Butler
A guilty conscience needs no accuser
In other languages
conscience
British English: conscience /ˈkɒnʃəns/ NOUN
Your conscience is the part of your mind that tells you if what you are doing is wrong. If you have a guilty conscience, or if you have something on your conscience, you feel guilty because you know you have done something wrong.
I started paying attention to my conscience.
American English: conscience
Arabic: ضَمِير
Brazilian Portuguese: consciência
Chinese: 良心
Croatian: savjest
Czech: svědomí
Danish: samvittighed
Dutch: geweten
European Spanish: conciencia moral
Finnish: omatunto
French: conscience
German: Gewissen
Greek: συνείδηση
Italian: coscienza
Japanese: 良心
Korean: 양심
Norwegian: samvittighet
Polish: sumienie
European Portuguese: consciência
Romanian: conștiință
Russian: совесть
Latin American Spanish: conciencia
Swedish: samvete
Thai: ความรู้สึกผิดชอบชั่วดี
Turkish: vicdan
Ukrainian: сумління
Vietnamese: lương tâm
All related terms of 'conscience'
in conscience
with regard to truth and justice
clear conscience
If you say that your conscience is clear , you mean you do not think you have done anything wrong .
conscience clause
a clause in a law or contract exempting persons with moral scruples
conscience money
money paid voluntarily to compensate for dishonesty , esp money paid voluntarily for taxes formerly evaded
conscience-smitten
feeling anxious or guilty
guilty conscience
Your conscience is the part of your mind that tells you whether what you are doing is right or wrong. If you have a guilty conscience , you feel guilty about something because you know it was wrong. If you have a clear conscience , you do not feel guilty because you know you have done nothing wrong.
social conscience
the state of being aware of the problems that affect a lot of people in society, such as being poor or having no home, and wanting to do something to help these people
conscience-stricken
feeling anxious or guilty
on your conscience
If you have something on your conscience , you feel guilty because you know you have done something wrong .
in (all) conscience
in fairness; on any reasonable ground
on one's conscience
causing feelings of guilt or remorse
prisoner of conscience
Prisoners of conscience are people who have been put into prison for their political or social beliefs or for breaking the law while protesting against a political or social system.
in good conscience/in all conscience
If you say that you cannot do something in all conscience , in good conscience , or in conscience , you mean that you cannot do it because you think it is wrong .
Chinese translation of 'conscience'
conscience
(ˈkɔnʃəns)
n
(c) (= sense of morality) 是非感 (shìfēi gǎn) (种(種), zhǒng)
(u) (= belief) 良心 (liángxīn)
to have a guilty/clear conscience感到内(內)疚/问(問)心无(無)愧 (gǎndào nèijiù/wèn xīn wú kuì)
to have sth on one's conscience因某事而感到内(內)疚 (yīn mǒushì ér gǎndào nèijiù)
in all or good conscience (frm) 凭(憑)良心 (píng liángxīn)
1 (noun)
Definition
the sense of right and wrong that governs a person's thoughts and actions
I have battled with my conscience over whether I should speak up or not.
Synonyms
principles
scruples
moral sense
sense of right and wrong
still small voice
2 (noun)
Definition
a feeling of guilt
She was suffering terrible pangs of conscience about what she had done.
Synonyms
guilt
Her emotions went from anger to guilt in the space of a few seconds.
shame
regret
He has no regrets about retiring.
remorse
She has shown no remorse for her actions.
contrition
She is full of contrition and has vowed to change her ways.
self-reproach
self-condemnation
idiom
See in all conscience
Quotations
Conscience: the inner voice which warns us that someone may be looking [H.L. Mencken – A Little Book in C Major]Thus conscience does make cowards of us all [William Shakespeare – Hamlet]Conscience is thoroughly well-bred and soon leaves off talking to those who do not wish to hear it [Samuel Butler]
proverb
A guilty conscience needs no accuser
Additional synonyms
in the sense of contrition
She is full of contrition and has vowed to change her ways.
Synonyms
regret,
sorrow,
remorse,
repentance,
compunction,
penitence,
self-reproach
in the sense of regret
Definition
a feeling of repentance, guilt, or sorrow
He has no regrets about retiring.
Synonyms
remorse,
compunction,
self-reproach,
pang of conscience,
bitterness,
repentance,
contrition,
penitence,
ruefulness
in the sense of remorse
Definition
a sense of deep regret and guilt for something one did