conscience
plural
consciences
plural
consciences
Britannica Dictionary definition of CONSCIENCE
1
:
the part of the mind that makes you aware of your actions as being either morally right or wrong
—
see also prisoner of conscience
[count]
— usually singular
-
You should decide what to do according to your own conscience.
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Her conscience was bothering her, so she finally told the truth.
-
He doesn't seem to have a conscience. [=doesn't seem to know or care about what is morally right]
-
I cannot do anything that is/goes against my conscience. [=that I believe is morally wrong]
-
After searching my conscience, I realized that I could not accept their offer.
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At least now I can face him with a clear conscience. [=without guilt]
-
She had a guilty/troubled conscience. [=she had a feeling of guilt about something she had done]
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I urged the senator to vote his conscience [=vote as he felt he should], even if it was at odds with the party line.
[noncount]
-
The issue is a matter of (individual) conscience. [=something that people must decide about according to what they believe is morally right]
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I can't work for a company that has no social conscience. [=a company that does not care about important social issues]
2
[noncount]
:
a feeling that something you have done is morally wrong
-
She felt a pang/prick of conscience [=guilt] about not inviting him.
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The thief must have had an attack of conscience, because he returned the wallet with nothing missing from it.
in (all/good) conscience
formal
◊ If you cannot do something in (all/good) conscience, you cannot do it because you think that it is morally wrong.
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I cannot in good conscience allow this situation to continue.
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She could not in all conscience remain silent.
on your conscience
◊ If something is on your conscience, it makes you feel guilty.
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I have to tell you the truth, because I don't want this on my conscience any longer.
