Definition

1. Noun:
   • An inner voice that judges your behavior: A metaphorical inner sense of conscience or moral guidance that tells a person whether their actions are right or wrong. It is often perceived as a quiet, subtle feeling rather than a loud command.

Usage

• The term "wee small voice" is used to personify one's conscience. It is typically used in reflective or moral contexts to describe the feeling of being guided or warned by one's own ethical principles.
• It often appears in the phrase "listen to the wee small voice" or "a wee small voice told me," emphasizing heeding this inner guidance.

Examples

• Noun:
  • I was about to take the money, but a wee small voice stopped me. (I was about to take the money, but my conscience stopped me.)
  • She always tries to listen to that wee small voice when making difficult decisions. (She always tries to listen to her inner moral guide when making difficult decisions.)
  • Despite the pressure, a wee small voice inside urged him to tell the truth. (Despite the pressure, a quiet inner feeling urged him to tell the truth.)

Advanced Usage

• "to heed the wee small voice": To pay careful attention to one's conscience.
  • In matters of ethics, it's crucial to heed the wee small voice.
• "the wee small voice of reason/conscience": Specifying the nature of the inner voice.
  • Amidst the chaos, he clung to the wee small voice of reason.

Variants and Related Words

• Conscience (n): A person's moral sense of right and wrong, viewed as acting as a guide to one's behavior. (This is the direct synonym and the concept being personified by "wee small voice").
• Inner voice (n): A common synonym for conscience or intuition.
• Moral compass (n): A person's ability to judge what is right and wrong and act accordingly.

Synonyms

• Conscience: The inner sense of what is right or wrong in one's conduct or motives.
• Scruple: A feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality or propriety of a course of action.
• Compunction: A feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows the doing of something bad.

Related Idioms

• A voice in one's head: Similar to an inner voice guiding or commenting on one's actions.
  • I had a voice in my head telling me it was a bad idea.
• To have a guilty conscience: To feel anxious or unhappy because you have done something wrong or failed to do something.
  • He had a guilty conscience after lying to his friend.

Noun

1. an inner voice that judges your behavior