qualm

cause (one) qualms

To cause one to feel some or certain hesitations, apprehensions, uneasiness, or pangs of conscience (about something or someone). Lying always causes me qualms, so I doubt I'll be able to tell my boss that I'm sick just to get a long weekend. I thought Jonathan's promotion was a done deal, but his latest interview seems to have caused the board of directors some qualms. I know I said I'd go to the party tonight, but I'd have to sneak out, and that's causing me qualms.

See also: cause, qualm

give (one) qualms

To cause one to feel certain hesitations, apprehensions, uneasiness, or pangs of conscience (about something or someone). Lying always gives me qualms, so I doubt I'll be able to tell my boss that I'm sick just to get a long weekend. I thought Jonathan's promotion was a done deal, but his latest interview seems to have given the board of directors some qualms about his abilities. I know I said I'd go to the party tonight, but I'd have to sneak out, and that's giving me qualms.

See also: give, qualm

have (some/any) qualms about (something or someone)

To have some or certain hesitations, apprehensions, uneasiness, or pangs of conscience (about something or someone). (Also often used in the negative to mean the opposite.) I know it's wrong to feel this way, but I don't have any qualms about telling my boss I'm sick if it means I can have a long weekend. I thought his promotion was a done deal, but it turns out the board of directors has some qualms about Jonathan. Before we start, do you have any qualms about the plan we discussed?

See also: have, qualm

have no qualms about (something)

To have no hesitations, apprehensions, uneasiness, or pangs of conscience about something. I know it's wrong to feel this way, but I have no qualms about telling my boss I'm sick if it means I can have a long weekend. They told me they had no qualms about the plan last week, but now they're acting like they're having second thoughts. I have no qualms about proceeding—let's get started.

See also: have, no, qualm

not have any qualms about (something)

To have no hesitations, apprehensions, uneasiness, or pangs of conscience (about something). I know it's wrong to feel this way, but I don't have any qualms about telling my boss I'm sick if it means I can have a long weekend. They told me they didn't have any qualms about the plan last week, but now they're acting like they're having second thoughts.

See also: any, have, not, qualm

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

cause qualms

(about someone or something) Go to qualms (about someone or something).

See also: cause, qualm

*qualms (about someone or something)

an uneasy feeling of one's conscience about someone or something. (*Typically: cause ~; have ~; have no ~; give someone ~.) Do you have any qualms about telling a little white lie to Mary about her not getting an invitation to the party?

See also: qualm

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.