Webster's English Dictionary

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qualm

qualm \'kwa:m also 'kwa:lm, 'kwo.m\ \-e-\ n [origin unknown] 1: a sudden 
   attack of illness, faintness, or nausea  2a: a sudden misgiving or fear  
   2b: an emotional pang : TWINGE  3: COMPUNCTION, SCRUPLE sgiving about what 
   one is doing or going to do. QUALM implies an uneasy fear that one is not 
   following his conscience or better judgment; SCRUPLE implies doubt of the 
   rightness of an act on grounds of principle; COMPUNCTION implies a 
   spontaneous feeling of responsibility or compassion for a potential victim; 
   DEMUR implies hesitation caused by objection to an outside suggestion or 
   influence - qualmy aj SYN syn QUALM, SCRUPLE, COMPUNCTION, DEMUR mean a mi