Antonyms for qualm


Grammar : Noun
Spell : kwahm, kwawm
Phonetic Transcription : kwɑm, kwɔm


Definition of qualm

Origin :
  • Old English cwealm (West Saxon) "death, murder, slaughter; disaster; plague; torment," utcualm (Anglian) "utter destruction," probably related to cwellan "to kill, murder, execute," cwelan "to die" (see quell). Sense softened to "feeling of faintness" 1520s; figurative meaning "uneasiness, doubt" is from 1550s; that of "scruple of conscience" is 1640s.
  • Evidence of a direct path from the Old English to the modern senses is wanting, but it is plausible, via the notion of "fit of sickness." The other suggested etymology, less satisfying, is to take the "fit of uneasiness" sense from Dutch kwalm "steam, vapor, mist" (cognate with German Qualm "smoke, vapor, stupor"), which also might be ultimately from the same Germanic root as quell.
  • noun nagging doubt
Example sentences :
  • He had put her aside without a qualm; and now he met her announcement with approval.
  • Extract from : « K » by Mary Roberts Rinehart
  • I feel no qualm in saying that his exit was more hasty than his approach.
  • Extract from : « Adventures and Recollections » by Bill o'th' Hoylus End
  • Yet I had no qualm of fear, no doubt, even, touching the issue.
  • Extract from : « Bardelys the Magnificent » by Rafael Sabatini
  • Then I shall be able, without a qualm, to send Godfrey to the workhouse.
  • Extract from : « The Red Hand of Ulster » by George A. Birmingham
  • Ma Tamby did not know what it is to have a qualm—which she could not have spelled if she had known.
  • Extract from : « The Paliser case » by Edgar Saltus
  • He felt that he could kill Bruce Browning without a qualm of conscience.
  • Extract from : « Frank Merriwell's Cruise » by Burt L. Standish
  • And the salve to the qualm was always the same remembrance that the deed had not been done yet.
  • Extract from : « Cousin Henry » by Anthony Trollope
  • But the deed was not yet done, and the qualm was kept under, and he slept.
  • Extract from : « Cousin Henry » by Anthony Trollope
  • These go about their work without one spark of pity, one qualm of ruth.
  • Extract from : « The Sign of the Spider » by Bertram Mitford
  • Every gust of wind that rumbled in the chimney sent a qualm to his heart.
  • Extract from : « Fort Desolation » by R.M. Ballantyne

Synonyms for qualm

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019