conscience
noun [ C or U ] uk/ˈkɒn.ʃəns/ us/ˈkɑːn.ʃəns/
C2 良心;良知
the part of you that judges how moral your own actions are and makes you feel guilty about bad things that you have done or things you feel responsible for
a guilty conscience 问心有愧
a question/matter of conscience 事关良心
You didn't do anything wrong - you should have a clear conscience (= not feel guilty). 你没做错什么——你应该觉得问心无愧。
My conscience would really bother me if I wore a fur coat. 要是我穿件裘皮大衣，确实会良心不安。
UK He's got no conscience at all (= does not feel guilty) about leaving me to do the housework. 他对于把家务丢给我一点都不觉得内疚。
- More examples
- A sense of guilt was deeply embedded in my conscience.
- Let your conscience be your guide.
- The charity used photos of starving children in an attempt to jolt the public conscience .
- Dan's mentioning Julia pricked my conscience and I gave her a call.
- He salves his conscience by giving money to charity.
Idioms
be/weigh on your conscienceidiom 使…良心不安，使…觉得内疚
to make you feel guilty
Yesterday I ignored an old woman who asked me for money in the street, and it's been on my conscience ever since. 昨天我没理会在街上向我讨钱的那个老妇人，但随后一直觉得良心不安。
in all conscienceidiom UK formal (US in good conscience) 凭良心;公道地
without feeling guilty
You couldn't, in all conscience, ask her to pay the whole bill! 凭良心说，你不能叫她一个人付所有的账！