1. (n.) Strictness.

2. (n.) A stroke; a glance; a touch.

3. (n.) A touch of adverse criticism; censure.

4. (n.) A localized morbid contraction of any passage of the body. Cf. Organic stricture, and Spasmodic stricture, under Organic, and Spasmodic.

abbreviation adverse criticism anathema animadversion arraignment arrest arrestation arrestment aspersion astriction astringency bad notices bad press blame blockage blocking bottleneck captiousness carping castigation cavil caviling censoriousness censure cervix check circumscription clogging closing up closure coarctation compactedness compaction compression compressure concentration condemnation condensation consolidation constraint constriction constringency contraction contracture cramp criticism curtailment damnation decrease decrial delay denouncement denunciation detainment detention deterrent diminuendo exception excoriation faultfinding fixation flak flaying foot-dragging fulmination fustigation hairsplitting hampering hindering hindrance hit holdback holdup home thrust hostile criticism hourglass hourglass figure hypercriticalness hypercriticism impeachment impediment imputation indictment inhibition interdiction interference interruption isthmus knitting knock let nagging narrow place narrowing neck negativism niggle niggling nit nit-picking nuisance value obloquy obstruction obstructionism occlusion opposition overcriticalness pestering pettifogging pillorying priggishness puckering pursing quibble quibbling rap reduction reflection reprehension repression reproachfulness reprobation resistance restraint restriction retardation retardment setback shortening skinning alive slam solidification squeeze stranglehold stranglement strangulation striction suppression swipe systole taking exception taper tapering trichoschistism wasp waist wrinkling