compunction

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: com=punc=tion

CIDE DICTIONARY

compunction, n. [OF. compunction, F. componction, L. compunctio, fr. compungere, compunctum, to prick; com- + pungere to prick, sting. See Pungent.].

•  A pricking; stimulation.  [1913 Webster]

  "That acid and piercing spirit which, with such activity and compunction, invadeth the brains and nostrils."  [1913 Webster]
•  A picking of heart; poignant grief proceeding from a sense of guilt or consciousness of causing pain; the sting of conscience.  [1913 Webster]

  "He acknowledged his disloyalty to the king, with expressions of great compunction."

Syn. -- Compunction, Remorse, Contrition.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

compunction, n. (usu. with neg.)
1 the pricking of the conscience.
2 a slight regret; a scruple (without compunction; have no compunction in refusing him).

Derivative

compunctious adj. compunctiously adv.

Etymology

ME f. OF componction f. eccl.L compunctio -onis f. L compungere compunct- (as com-, pungere prick)

THESAURUS

compunction

attrition, bashfulness, beef, better self, bitch, boggle, boggling, boycott, challenge, complaint, conscience, conscientiousness, contriteness, contrition, demonstration, demur, demurral, demurrer, diffidence, disinclination, exception, expostulation, falter, faltering, fear, grievance, grievance committee, hesitance, hesitancy, hesitation, howl, indignation meeting, kick, march, misgiving, modesty, nonviolent protest, objection, pangs, pangs of conscience, pause, penance, penitently, picketing, pricking of heart, protest, protest demonstration, protestation, punctiliousness, qualm, qualm of conscience, qualmishness, qualms, rally, recoil, regret, reluctance, remonstrance, remonstration, remorse, repentance, reserve, rue, ruth, scruple, scruples, scrupulosity, scrupulousness, self-reproach, shrinking, shyness, sit-in, squawk, stickling, strike, teach-in, throes, touch of conscience, twinge of conscience, unwillingness, voice of conscience

ROGET THESAURUS

compunction

Penitence

N penitence, contrition, compunction, repentance, remorse, regret, self-reproach, self-reproof, self-accusation, self-condemnation, self-humiliation, stings of conscience, pangs of conscience, qualms of conscience, prickings of conscience, twinge of conscience, twitch of conscience, touch of conscience, voice of conscience, compunctious visitings of nature, acknowledgment, confession, apology, recantation, penance, resipiscence, awakened conscience, deathbed repentance, locus paenitentiae, stool of repentance, cuttystool, penitent, repentant, Magdalen, prodigal son, a sadder and a wiser man, penitent, repenting, repentant, contrite, conscience- smitten, conscience-stricken, self-accusing, self-convicted, penitential, penitentiary, reclaimed, reborn, not hardened, unhardened, mea culpa, peccavi, erubuit, salva res est, Tu l'as voulu, Georges Dandin, and wet his grave with my repentant tears.