What does the adverb “scrupulously” indicate? You must have met him more than once in a speech. For example, scrupulously choose apples, scrupulously care for hair, scrupulously select an evening outfit. But what exactly does the adverb mean “scrupulously”? Is this a single or multiple word? All answers are in the article.
Etymological reference
It is worth noting that the adverb "scrupulously" indicates a course of action: to work (how?) Scrupulously. It came from the adjective "scrupulous."
Which, in turn, came from the original Russian verb "scribble." Its initial interpretation is to flaunt, fashionably dress, dress up.
In general, initially the word "scrupulous" (naturally, and the adverb is scrupulous) had such a meaning - one that refers to the trade in perfumes or haberdashery.
Then they began to characterize a person who pays great attention to his appearance. Imagine Eugene Onegin. Here is a typical scrupulous young man dressed in the manner of a London dandy.
Now we will understand what this word means in modern speech. The adverb "scrupulous" is a speech unit with two meanings.
Strictness and principles
The first meaning is as follows: strictly and in detail, in principle. So you can describe the behavior of a person who wears a red tie exclusively with snow-white shirts and is ready to travel around the city in search of tea without fail from the mountain peaks of Sri Lanka. Here are a few suggestions to illustrate the meaning:
- He scrupulously picks up an outfit and never puts on rumpled trousers.
- The girl scrupulously examined the outfit, studied the seams.
- The young man scrupulously measured out a spoon with sugar - he did not like too sweet tea.
Like a razor blade
In the second meaning, "scrupulously" is:
- delicately;
- neatly;
- Caution;
- embarrassing.
For example, you have been instructed to talk with a person and make him quit smoking. You need to speak scrupulously so as not to offend the interlocutor, not to put pressure on him. In other words, you need to show maximum delicacy and flexibility. Examples could be:
- We decided to scrupulously discuss politics, so as not to cause a wave of negativity from our interlocutors.
- You behave so scrupulously - I need to learn your tact.
- Olga could become an excellent diplomat - no one could convince opponents so scrupulously of their wrongness.
The best way to remember the interpretation of the adverb “scrupulously” is to use it in everyday speech. So that the speech unit does not sink into oblivion, it must be constantly used.