/ ˈkɒnʃəs; NAmE ˈkɑːn-/ adjective
1.
[ not before noun ] conscious of (doing) sth | conscious that aware of sth; noticing sth :
She's very conscious of the problems involved.
He became acutely conscious of having failed his parents.
I was vaguely conscious that I was being watched.
OPP unconscious
—see also self-conscious
2.
able to use your senses and mental powers to understand what is happening :
A patient who is not fully conscious should never be left alone.
OPP unconscious
3.
( of actions, feelings, etc. ) deliberate or controlled :
to make a conscious decision
I made a conscious effort to get there on time.
a conscious act of cruelty
OPP unconscious
—compare subconscious
4.
being particularly interested in sth :
environmentally-conscious
They have become increasingly health-conscious.
► con·scious·ly adverb :
Consciously or unconsciously, you made a choice.
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WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent. (in the sense being aware of wrongdoing ): from Latin conscius knowing with others or in oneself (from conscire be privy to) + -ous .