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scruple

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An apothecary unit of weight equal to 20 grains or one-third of a drachm, approximately 1.3 grams; used for precise medicinal measurements.

Detailed Definition
The scruple, from Latin "scrupulus" (small sharp stone), measures 20 grains or one-third drachm (about 1.296 grams). Used in apothecary weight for precise pharmaceutical measurement, the term also means moral hesitation. In poetry concerning medicine, moral deliberation, or precision, scruple carries rich double meaning. The term evokes apothecary practice and moral consideration simultaneously. Poets employed scruples exploiting this semantic duality, connecting physical minuteness with ethical fineness, allowing wordplay between pharmaceutical precision and moral scrupulousness, enriching verse with layered meaning.
Example
Example in poetry:
In apothecary poetry, "the prescription called for three scruples of powder" provides period-appropriate pharmaceutical detail; Poetry exploiting double meaning uses "scruples weighed and moral scruples ignored—the poisoner measured carefully what conscience wouldn't"; In verse about Victorian medicine, "druggists measured scruples and drachms, precision between healing and harm"; Historical poetry about pharmacy describes "scruple weights in brass, arrayed on the balance like possibilities"; Modern poets writing about wordplay often invoke "scruples—both tiny weight and moral hesitation, perfect word for poetry about choice"; Poetry about precision uses "twenty grains make one scruple, three scruples one drachm—measurement descending through careful fractions."
Additional Notes
The scruple's double meaning (apothecary weight unit and moral hesitation) creates rich poetic possibilities. Students should understand that 1 scruple = 20 grains = 1/3 drachm ≈1.3 grams, used in pharmaceutical measurement. The term derives from Latin "scrupulus" meaning small sharp stone, suggesting something troubling. Understanding apothecary weight hierarchy (grain < scruple < drachm < ounce) helps students grasp pharmaceutical measurement system. In poetry exploiting wordplay, scruples can mean simultaneously precise small weight and moral doubt—perfect for poems about poisoners, apothecaries, or ethical decisions. The term appears in medical contexts and moral philosophy, making it unusually versatile. Students should recognize how pharmaceutical scruple connects to moral scruple—both involve careful weighing, one literal, one metaphorical. Related terms include grain, drachm, and ounce, all apothecary weights. For students writing about medicine, poison, moral choice, or exploiting wordplay, scruples offer rich double meaning. The scruple can represent precision, moral deliberation, pharmaceutical care, or the connection between weighing substances and weighing choices. The term enables sophisticated wordplay between physical and ethical measurement.
Also Known As
scruple weight apothecaries’ scruple
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