conscience

Everyday

1. The feeling or inner voice inside you that tells you what is right and wrong, and makes you feel bad when you do wrong. tree →
2. (church, ethics) Christians and many others believe the conscience helps us know God's law; they examine their conscience before confession. tree →
3. «In all conscience» (formal) means «honestly, fairly». tree →

In the lessons

In ethics lessons pupils learn to listen to their conscience; a «guilty conscience» makes you feel bad after doing wrong, a «clear conscience» means you have done nothing wrong. In stories Jiminy Cricket is Pinocchio's conscience. Phrases: «guilty conscience», «clear conscience», «prick of conscience», «on your conscience», «conscience-stricken», «examine your conscience».

Examples

• My conscience told me to give the money back. tree →
• He had a guilty conscience after lying to his mum. tree →
• She went to bed with a clear conscience. tree →
• Jiminy Cricket was Pinocchio's conscience. tree →
• Before confession, Catholics examine their conscience. tree →
• His conscience was bothering him, so he said sorry. tree →
• I couldn't, in all conscience, take the last cake. tree →
• ‘You must really have another little sin on your conscience. tree →

Note

Spelling trap: con-science (like «science»). Pronounced KON-shuns. Do not confuse with «conscious» (awake, aware) or «consciousness». Adjective: conscientious (hard-working and careful).