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Procrustean

 
Dictionary: Pro·crus·te·an  pro·crus·te·an (prō-krŭs'tē-ən) pronunciation
also
adj.
Producing or designed to produce strict conformity by ruthless or arbitrary means.

[After Procrustes, a mythical Greek giant who stretched or shortened captives to make them fit his beds, from Latin Procrustēs, from Greek Prokroustēs, from prokrouein, hammer out, to stretch out : pro-, forth; see pro-2 + krouein, to beat.]


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Wordsmith Words: Procrustean
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(pro-KRUS-tee-uhn)

adjective
Producing conformity using harsh means.

Etymology
After Procrustes, a giant in Greek mythology, who stretched or cut his victims to make them fit his bed

Wordpix: wordsmith.org/words/procrustean.gif.

Usage
"Why don't you go on a diet, dear, instead of throwing this dress away,' the old Mr. Parsimoni gave his wife the procrustean advice."


Obscure Words: procrustean
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marked by arbitrary often ruthless disregard of individual differences or special circumstances
 
 
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procrustesian
Procrustean bed (arbitrary standard)
Una Settimana Come Un'altra (1978 Film)

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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
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Obscure Words. © 2008 by Michael A. Fischer http://home.comcast.net/~wwftd Read more