I. scru ‧ ple 1 /ˈskruːp ə l/ BrE AmE noun [countable usually plural, uncountable]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: scrupule , from Latin scrupulus 'small sharp stone, cause of mental discomfort' , from scrupus 'sharp stone' ]
a belief about what is right and wrong that prevents you from doing bad things ⇨ qualm
scruples about doing something
He had no scruples about selling faulty goods to people.
a man with no moral scruples
without scruple
They made thousands of families homeless without scruple.
II. scruple 2 BrE AmE verb
not scruple to do something literary to be willing to do something even though it may be wrong or may upset people:
They did not scruple to bomb innocent civilians.