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Literary notes about scrupulously (AI summary)

The adverb “scrupulously” in literature often underscores a meticulous attention to detail and a conscientious adherence to both physical and moral standards. It is used in descriptions ranging from the pristine state of an object or space—as when rooms, clothing, or utensils are maintained in a scrupulously clean and neat condition [1], [2], [3]—to the exacting performance of duties or the observance of ethical codes, as seen when vows and rules are carried out scrupulously [4], [5], [6]. The term also frequently appears to highlight characters’ fastidious personal grooming or behavior, suggesting a disciplined and principled lifestyle [7], [8], [9]. In more analytical or procedural contexts, “scrupulously” conveys the idea of precision and thoroughness required to accurately replicate experiments or to follow customary practices [10], [11], [12]. Thus, whether describing the tangible order of a household or the intangible integrity of a person’s conduct, the word enriches narrative detail by emphasizing a persistent, almost ritualistic commitment to perfection [13], [14], [15].
  1. He washed that morning scrupulously—he got some soap from Nastasya—he washed his hair, his neck and especially his hands.
    — from Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
  2. It was kept scrupulously clean and whitewashed.
    — from The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Tales by Bret Harte
  3. Above all, from top to bottom, the house was scrupulously clean.
    — from By England's Aid; or, the Freeing of the Netherlands (1585-1604) by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty
  4. A citizen of Verberic offered to accomplish the queen's vow most scrupulously, and her majesty promised him an adequate recompense.
    — from The Queer, the Quaint and the Quizzical: A Cabinet for the Curious by Frank H. Stauffer
  5. Van Buren scrupulously observed the amenities of debate.
    — from The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America by Thomas Jefferson
  6. Therefore, to my patron I will be scrupulously true.
    — from Hard Times by Charles Dickens
  7. They were gaily dressed, a light handkerchief tied under the chin, their hair scrupulously arranged; they wore coral neck-laces and earrings of gold.
    — from Sybil, Or, The Two Nations by Earl of Beaconsfield Benjamin Disraeli
  8. His dress is scrupulously neat, but plain, unostentatious.
    — from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven Edition by Edgar Allan Poe
  9. Let your hair, beard, and moustache, be always perfectly smooth, well arranged, and scrupulously clean.
    — from The Gentlemen's Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness by Cecil B. Hartley
  10. Two specimens, treated in what outwardly seem scrupulously identical conditions, behave in quite different ways.
    — from The Will to Believe, and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy by William James
  11. Ripe fruit may be eaten, but unripe fruit, unless cooked should be scrupulously avoided.
    — from Enquire Within Upon EverythingThe Great Victorian Domestic Standby by Robert Kemp Philp
  12. In any suit which a man brings, let the indictment be scrupulously true, for justice is an honourable maiden, to whom falsehood is naturally hateful.
    — from Laws by Plato
  13. Meanwhile, he saw enough of Fanny's embarrassment to make him scrupulously guard against exciting it a second time, by any word, or look, or movement.
    — from Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
  14. On the Slave Coast, for the same reason, whenever a king or chief expectorates, the saliva is scrupulously gathered up and hidden or buried.
    — from The Golden Bough: A Study of Magic and Religion by James George Frazer
  15. ‘This is no common trust that I have to discharge, and I will perform the double duty that is imposed upon me most scrupulously and strictly.
    — from Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

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