Today's Word "compunction"
Anxiety proceeding from a sense of guilt
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Published in Vocabulary
compunction \kuhm-PUHNK-shuhn\ (noun) - 1 : Anxiety or deep unease proceeding from a sense of guilt or consciousness of causing pain. 2 : A sting of conscience or a twinge of uneasiness; a qualm; a scruple.
"However, he died intestate: I was his heir-at-law, and I felt a certain compunction in taking his money -- he would so have disliked my having it." -- Patrick O'Brian, 'Testimonies'
Compunction derives from Late Latin compunctio, compunction-, "sting or pricking of conscience," from the past participle of compungere, "to prick severely," from com-, intensive prefix + pungere, "to prick."
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