Dictionary

scrupleless en · ADJ

Etymology

Etymology tree English scruple Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les English -less English scrupleless From scruple + -less.

Meanings

1. Without scruples; uninhibited by conscience or moral concerns.
   • We feel one of these untrained civilians will come face to face with a scrupleless smuggler. 2005 April 29, “Ex-valley Man Eyes US-Mexico Border”, in Daily News of Los Angeles:
   • Almost he longed to be a scrupleless Oriental and carry her off across his saddle bow. 1914, Mary Hastings Bradley, The Palace of Darkened Windows, D. Appleton & Co., page 312:
   • Your Grace's swordsmen have had ill luck of late; and it is hard, since you always choose the best hands, and such scrupleless knaves too. 1822, Sir Walter Scott, chapter 44, in Peveril of the Peak:

Forms