a. [ad. F. conscientieux (16th c. in Littré), med.L. conscientiōsus, f. conscientia: see -OUS.]
1. Of persons: Obedient or loyal to conscience; habitually governed by a sense of duty; scrupulous.
1611. Cotgr., Conscientieux, conscientious … of a good conscience, full of conscience.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., V. i. § 15. [He] had found … many Lay-men as consciencious as Clergymen in discharging this Trust.
1745. De Foe’s Eng. Tradesman (1841), I. vii. 55. A conscientious tradesman.
1882. Miss Braddon, Mnt. Royal, I. iii. 78. He is a conscientious person, and knows his duty.
2. Of conduct, etc.: Of or pertaining to conscience; done according to conscience, scrupulous.
a. 1631. Donne, Serm., x. 101 D. Of those that goe with out those Conscientiouse Deliberations.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. vii. Wks. 1874, I. 140. To live in the conscientious practice of all that is good.
1850. Kingsley, Alt. Locke, i. She became a Baptist from conscientious scruples.
1878. R. Simpson, Sch. Shaks., I. 74. The Archbishop returned his easy insolence with a … conscientious purpose of revenge.
† b. Constituting a matter of conscience, binding on the conscience. Obs. rare.
1636. Blunt, Voy. Levant (ed. 2), 101. The Authors of Superstition when they finde Customes very usefull … plant them amongst their other Ceremonies, and make them conscientious.
† 3. Conscious (of). Obs.
1648. Fairfax, Remonstrance, 36. Either not bound, or not conscientious of his bonds.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 141. The Heretick (guilty and consciencious to himselfe of Refutability).
a. 1656. Bp. Hall, Tracts (1677), 181. He that is conscientious of his sin.
