procrustean

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English

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WOTD – 30 September 2007
English Wikipedia has an article on:
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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Procrustes +‎ -an.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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procrustean (comparative more procrustean, superlative most procrustean)

  1. Enforcing strict conformity through disregard of individual differences or special circumstances. [from 17th c.]
    • 1862, Anthony Trollope, chapter IX, in North America. […], volume I, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC:
      The object in choosing the political capital is average nearness of approach from the various confines of the State; but commerce submits to no such Procrustean laws in selecting her capitals, and consequently she has placed Detroit on the borders of Michigan, […]
    • 2011, Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature, Penguin, published 2012, page 287:
      The concept of an Age of Nationalism is a bit procrustean.

Derived terms

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Translations

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ “Archived copy”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎[1], 2014 June 6 (last accessed), archived from the original on 7 June 2014
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