pang of conscience

pang of conscience

English

Noun

pang of conscience (plural pangs of conscience)

1. (often pluralized) A feeling of shame, guilt, or embarrassment, resulting from behavior which one regrets.
   • 1879, Anthony Trollope, John Caldigate, ch. 50:

     It was clear to Mr. Seely that Dick Shand's story was 'got up,'—and very well got up. He had no pang of conscience as to using it. But when it came to believing it, that was quite another thing.

   • 1896, Frances Hodgson Burnett, A Lady of Quality, ch. 11:

     So it fell that Mistress Anne could go to London without pangs of conscience at leaving her sister in the country and alone.

Translations

A feeling of shame, guilt, or embarrassment, resulting from behavior which one regrets

Bashkir: выждан (vïždan) ғазабы (ğazabï) Hungarian: lelkiismeret-furdalás Italian: coda di paglia f, coscienza sporca f

Portuguese: dor na consciência f Russian: угрызе́ния со́вести n pl (ugryzénija sóvesti)

See also

• remorse
• scruple
• compunction