straitjacket
straitjacket Lexical Profile
straitjacket Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A strong garment with long sleeves that can be tied together to confine the arms of a violent prisoner or mental patient.
"The famous escape artist freed himself from a canvas straitjacket while suspended upside down."
A severe restriction or limitation that prevents freedom of action, development, or expression.
"The rigid curriculum acted as an intellectual straitjacket for the more creative students."
• verb
To restrain or confine someone using a strong garment that binds the arms.
"The orderlies had to straitjacket the agitated patient to prevent him from harming himself."
To impose severe restrictions on someone or something, thereby inhibiting growth, freedom, or activity.
"Excessive bureaucratic regulations can straitjacket small businesses trying to innovate."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often misspelled as "straightjacket" due to confusion with the homophone "straight"; the first element actually derives from "strait," meaning narrow or confining.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 19th century as a compound of "strait" (from Old French 'estreit', meaning tight or narrow) and "jacket".