frequently_asked_questions_files/Oxford Thesaurus.pdf

constricting, constrictive, rigid, defined, precise, exact,
exacting, stringent, meticulous, compulsive, punctilious,
finicky or finical, scrupulous, attentive, conscientious,
faithful, thorough, complete: The judge's strict interpretation
of the law left no room for leniency or sympathy. 2 severe,
austere, authoritarian, autocratic, stern, firm, hard, tough,
uncompromising, inflexible, cold-blooded, iron-fisted,
tyrannical, harsh, ruthless, pitiless, unsympathetic: Miss
Wells is remembered by all her students as a strict
disciplinarian.
stricture n. 1 interdiction, blockage, restriction, restraint,
constraint, deterrent, impediment: The strictures imposed on
credit have throttled trade. 2 criticism, censure: He deplored
conservative strictures against anything new in the arts.
strident adj. shrill, raucous, harsh, loud, grating, stridulous,
stridulant, scraping, scratching, scratchy, grinding, hoarse,
rough, guttural, husky, gravelly, rasping, jarring, discordant,
unharmonious, unmelodious, unmusical, cacophonous, croaking,
creaking: Her strident voice could be heard all over the
building.
strife n. 1 discord, disharmony, disagreement, difference, conflict,
rivalry, competition, contention, dispute, dissension, struggle,
squabbling, bickering, arguing, quarrelling: The nation is torn
by the strife of perpetual labour disputes. 2 animosity,
friction, hard feelings, bad feeling(s), bad blood, antagonism,
ill will, hatred, enmity, hostility, unfriendliness: The strife
between us will continue because our philosophies differ so
radically.
strike v. 1 hit, deal a blow to, knock, smack, thump, thwack, crown,
cuff, punch, smite; beat, hammer, belabour, batter, pummel or
pommel, pelt, buffet, thrash; cudgel, bludgeon, club, whip,
horsewhip, scourge, lash, cane, flog, birch, slap, Colloq
wallop, slug, whack, clout, sock, conk, belt, bash, lambaste,
bop: Small wonder he struck you after what you called his wife.
2 deliver, deal, aim, direct: He struck a blow for freedom. 3
hit, collide with, land on or in or against, smash or bump or
bang or crash or dash into, go or run into, impact: Mrs
Humphrey's car went out of control and struck a tree. 4 remove,
take away, take apart, dismantle, knock down; take or pull or