wee small voice
- noun
- UK
:
voz interior
- I heard a wee small voice telling me to do the right thing.
Examples
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Whenever I tell a lie, my wee small voice makes me feel guilty.
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She tried to ignore the wee small voice that told her it was wrong.
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Despite the pressure to cheat, his wee small voice held him back.
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Sometimes, that wee small voice is the only guidance we have.
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Despite the pressure to cheat, his wee small voice held him back from making a wrong choice.
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She tried to ignore the wee small voice inside her that told her it was wrong to lie.
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Whenever I tell a lie, my wee small voice reminds me to be honest and trustworthy.
Synonyms
632
4.6
An inner feeling that tells you what is right or wrong and makes you feel guilty
1
6.3
An inner feeling that quietly tells you right from wrong
1
6.3
An inner feeling that tells you if something is right or wrong
Antonyms
How Strong
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built from 'wee'/'small' + 'voice', so a learner who knows the words can infer 'a very faint or little voice' (i.e. a quiet or internal speaking). However, the specific pragmatic extension to 'conscience' or moral judgment is a metaphorical/dialectal usage (and 'wee' is regionally marked), so the precise moral meaning is not fully predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
Wee small voice paints a picture of a tiny, quiet voice inside you that speaks softly when you think about doing something wrong. That's why it means 'a quiet sense of right and wrong'.