scrūpŭlus — Lewis & Short
scrūpŭlus (scrīŭplum, etc.,
I v. infra, B.), i, m. dim. scrupus. *
I Lit., a small sharp or pointed stone:
ater scrupulus,Sol. 7.—
B Transf.
1 T. t., the smallest division of weight (the 24th part of an ounce), a scruple; in this sense the neutr. collat. form scrīpŭlum (less commonly scrū-pŭlum; also written, because of a fancied derivation from scriptum, scriptŭlum, scriptlum) is most freq.: scriptulum, quod nunc vulgo sine t dicunt, Varro ap. Plautin. dixit. Idem tertio Annali. Is (nummus argenteus) quattuor scriptulis major fuit quam nunc est, Charis. p. 81:
si ibi auri scrupulum imponatur, etc.,Vitr. 7, 8 med.:
scripula octo,Col. 12, 28, 1:
picis sex scripula,id. 12, 23, 2; Cic. Att. 4, 16, 13:
quinque marathri scrupula,Ov. Med. Fac. 92:
scripulum nostri dixere priores,Rhem. Fan. Pond. 8 sq.:
ita ut scripulum valeret sestertiis vicenis,Plin. 33, 3, 13, § 47:
scrupulum,Val. Max. 4, 4, 9:
scriptula,Mart. 4, 89, 3; 10, 55, 3.—
2 Of other measures.
a The twenty-fourth part of an uncia of land (the 288th part of a jugerum), Varr. R. R. 1, 10, 2; Col. 5, 1, 8.—
b The twenty-fourth part of an hour:
QVAE HIC DORMIT VIXIT ANN. XXI. MENS. III. HOR. IV. SCRVPVLOS VI.,Inscr. Fabr. p. 97, 219 (ap. Orell. 4718, n. 1); M. Aur. ap. Front. Ep. ad Caes. 2, 9.—
c Of any other very small measure, Front. Aquaed. 26; Plin. 2, 10, 7, § 48.—
II Trop., a pricking, stinging, uneasy sensation; hence,
1 Uneasiness, difficulty, trouble, anxiety, doubt, scruple (class.):
hunc sibi ex animo scrupulum, qui se dies noctesque stimulat ac pungit, ut evellatis postulat,Cic. Rosc. Am. 2, 6:
sui scripulus tenuissimus residere aliquis videbitur,id. Har. Resp. 5, 11:
mihi unus scrupulus restat,Ter. And. 5, 4, 37:
qui fuit in re hac scrupulus,id. Phorm. 5, 8, 30:
injeci scrupulum homini,id. Ad. 2, 2, 20; id. Phorm. 5, 7, 61; cf.:
nummi potius addantur quam ullus sit scrupulus,Cic. Att. 2, 4, 1; App. M. 1, p. 107, 5; cf.:
hic tum injectus est hominibus scrupulus et quaedam dubitatio, quidnam esset actum,Cic. Clu. 28, 76; Suet. Claud. 37:
exime hunc mihi scrupulum, cui par esse non possum,Plin. Ep. 3, 17, 2; cf. id. ib. 6, 8, 7:
omnis surculus ... sine scrupulo egregie inseritur,without scruple, without hesitation, Col. 5, 11, 1; Vulg. 1 Reg. 25, 31:
scrupulus non mediocris me carpebat,App. M. 6, p. 184, 11.—With gen.:
domesticarum sollicitudinum aculeos omnes et scrupulos occultabo,Cic. Att. 1, 18, 2:
reus scrupulo quaestionis liberatur,App. Mag. p. 305 med.—
2 A painfully minute examination, a subtlety, Gell. 5, 15, 9.