straitjacket
straitjacket
UK[ˈstreɪtˌdʒækɪt]US[ˈstreɪtˌdʒækɪt]
n
A strong piece of clothing like a jacket with long arms which can be tied together to prevent the person wearing it from behaving violently, especially used in psychiatric hospitals.
n
Something that severely limits freedom of action or development.
Morpheme Breakdown
strait
jacket
strait
narrow, tight
jacket
garment
Etymology
The word 'straitjacket' is a compound formed in the early 19th century from the adjective 'strait', meaning narrow or tight, and 'jacket', a type of garment. 'Strait' itself evolved from Latin strictus (the past participle of stringere, meaning to draw tight), which passed into Old French as estreit. The literal logic is transparent: a "tight jacket" designed to confine. Over time, the concrete meaning of a physical restraint garment gave rise to a potent metaphorical sense, describing any set of rules, conventions, or circumstances that tightly constrict freedom and creativity, much like the physical binder confines movement.
Analysis
Structure: strait (narrow, tight) + jacket (garment)
- strait: From Old French estreit (tight, narrow), from Latin strictus (drawn tight, compressed). In this compound, it functions as an adjective meaning "tight" or "constricting".
- jacket: From Middle French jaquet (a short, lightweight tunic), a diminutive of jaque. It functions as the base noun denoting a garment.
Examples
The patient was placed in a straitjacket to prevent him from harming himself or others.
The company's rigid policies acted as a straitjacket, stifling innovation and employee morale.
Some artists feel that traditional forms of poetry can be a creative straitjacket.