in conscience

alternative in all conscience · alternative in good conscience · alternative in all good conscience · alternative of conscience · alternative of all conscience

1. not comparableIn fairness; by all that is reasonable.First known use 15th c.

   I ought in conscience to have made ten thousand pretty detours about all this.

   1809, Walter Scott, letter, 14 June

   2 more examples

   ‘Is she tall, or short?’ asked Mrs. Horton, still wishing for farther information. ‘Oh, tall enough of all conscience,’ returned Lady Evans […].

   1791, Elizabeth Inchbald, A Simple Story, Penguin, published 2009, page 10

   I liked it when Mart came and we got the takeaway, but I should have left it all for him. Though in all conscience I didn't do it for the sake of the spare ribs.

   2005, Hilary Mantel, Beyond Black