CONSCIENCE

[noun] [C] - the tendency to judge the morality of your own actions and feel guilt about the bad things that you have done or for which you feel responsibleA guilty conscience was preventing her from sleeping at night.You didn't do anything wrong. You should have a clear conscience.My conscience would never allow me to wear a fur coat.If something is on your conscience, it is making you feel guilty.I ignored an old woman who asked me for money in the street yesterday and it's been on my conscience ever since. [C]If I smoke even one cigarette it preys/weighs on my conscience all day (= makes me feel guilty). [C]He only gives money to charity to salve his conscience (= stop him from feeling guilty.) [C]The television coverage of so many starving people was designed to prick/stir the public conscience (= make people feel guilty). [C]He's got no conscience at all (= does not feel guilty) about leaving me to do the housework. [C]There's no obligation to pay. It's a question/matter of conscience whether you do or not. [U]You couldn't (UK) in all conscience/(US) in good conscience (= without feeling guilty) ask her to pay the whole bill!If someone is conscience-stricken they regret very much something that they have done wrong.