† 1. In physical sense: Tightly, closely. Obs.
1641. G. Sandys, Paraphr. Song Sol., VIII. i. 29. Thy left Arme for my Pillow plac’d, And stricktly with thy right embrac’d.
1714. Young, Force of Relig., II. Her lord and father, for a moment’s space, She strictly folded in her soft embrace.
[1871. Tennyson, Last Tourn. 653. The vow that binds too strictly snaps itself.]
Comb. (fig.) 1648. J. Beaumont, Psyche, XXI. lii. Nothing is lac’d so strictly-strait into It self, as this immeasurable Nature.
2. With reference to confinement or custody, watch or guard, a siege, etc.: Closely, narrowly, rigorously, vigilantly.
1608. Shaks., Per., II. v. 8. She hath so strictly Tyed her to her Chamber.
1638. Mayne, Lucian (1664), 170. The gates were strictlier kept, and no man was any more permitted to enter into the house.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 16 Feb. 1649. Paris being now strictly besieged by the Prince de Condé.
1764. H. Walpole, Otranto, iii. He ordered some of his attendants to carry Theodore to the top of the Black Tower and guard him strictly.
1892. Lady F. Verney, Verney Mem., I. i. 4. A door less likely to be strictly guarded than the other issues.
3. With reference to commands, obligation, etc.: Rigorously, stringently; with insistence on exact performance, execution or obedience. Cf. STRAITLY a. 5.
1487. Plumpton Corr. (Camden), 54. I therfore on the kinges behalfe strictly charf you,… that ye [etc.].
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., IV. i. 17. I may not suffer you to visit them, The King hath strictly charg’d the contrary.
1710. Felton, Diss. Classics (1718), 41. For which Reason the Celebrated Dr. Busby strictly forbad the Use of Notes.
1828. Foster, in Life & Corr. (1846), II. 149. I am strictly ordered to keep out of the evening damp and cold.
1833. H. Coleridge, Biog. Borealis, Marvell, 12. The publication of debates was at that time … really and strictly forbidden.
b. With strict provisions; by strict enactment.
1651. W. G., trans. Cowel’s Inst., 189. He who hath a Fee-tail in his owne, or Fee-simple in anothers Right,… is tied a little more strictly.
1706. T. Vernon, Chanc. Cases (1728), II. 552. In a Court of Equity the Trust ought to have been strictly pursued.
1827. W. F. Cornish, Ess. Doctr. Remainders, 19. The court will generally order the lands to be settled strictly.
1907. J. H. Patterson, Man-Eaters of Tsavo, xviii. 191. The whole of this country … is now a strictly protected Game Reserve.
4. With reference to punishment, judgment, rule, etc.: Rigorously, unsparingly, severely.
1602. W. S., Thomas Ld. Cromwell, I. iii. 41. And to deale strictly with such a one as he, Better seuere then too much lenitie.
1607. Beaum. & Fl., Woman-Hater, IV. i. I wish those of my bloud that doe offend, Should be more strictly punisht, then my foes.
1625. Milton, Death fair Infant, 33. Could Heav’n for pittie thee so strictly doom?
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. II. 98. These laws, though they had not, except when there was supposed to be some peculiar danger, been strictly executed.
1876–89. Bridges, Growth of Love, xx. God’s love to win is easy, for He loveth Desire’s fair attitude, nor strictly weighs The broken thing.
5. With rigid and exact adherence to a plan, regulation, etc.; with complete and literal observance of a rule or enactment. Also, according to a strict standard of life, obligation, etc.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxii. § 19. It is … meete that the strength of mens deedes and the instruments which declare the same should strictlie depend vpon diuers solemnities.
1651. Jer. Taylor, Serm. Golden Grove, Summer, xxvi. 338. But while they talk as if they did not need to live strictly, many of them live so strictly as if they did not beleeve so foolishly.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 298, ¶ 2. Many of the most strictly virtuous.
1805. Wordsw., Ode to Duty, 32. But thee I now would serve more strictly, if I may.
1826. Art Brewing (ed. 2), 87. Cases may occur, when … the admixture of chalybeate tonics … ought to be strictly avoided.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., ii. I. 174. Not only were the intentions of the court strictly concealed, but [etc.].
1854. Poultry Chron., I. 213/2. Unless these regulations be strictly complied with.
6. With unrelaxed care or attention to detail; without letting particulars escape notice; narrowly, closely, exactly.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., IX. 390. [He] sent a Guide with me … to view the Mountayne more strictly.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos., Periander (1687), 49/1. Periander said, it was not possible but that he should say something more, and pressed him more strictly.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 12 Sept. 1641. Where our names were taken and our persons examin’d very strictly.
1720. De Foe, Capt. Singleton, xv. (1840), 258. One of our men looking a little more strictly than the rest, thought he saw the head of one of the Indians.
1751. Earl Orrery, Remarks Swift (1752), 122. It is preceded by an explanatory advertisement, that was either dictated, or strictly revised by the Dean himself.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, II. 360. Tell me, and ask yourself strictly, would you change with Indiana?
1837. P. Keith, Bot. Lex., 54. It is evident that Ferns must be excluded from the cellular department, if structure is to be strictly attended to.
b. Qualifying an adjective, adverb, or equivalent phrase: In the strict sense of the word (or words).
1764. Dodsley, Leasowes, in Shenstone’s Wks. (1777), II. 294. A … wild and romantic appearance of water, and at the same time strictly natural.
1799. Ht. Lee, Canterb. T., Poet’s T. (ed. 2), I. 48. [He was] not strictly handsome, yet winning.
1839. Dickens, Nich. Nick., iv. This was strictly true.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 365. They governed strictly according to law.
c. Qualifying a predication or assertion as a whole = strictly speaking (see 8).
1680. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., xiv. 238. This whole Member is called the Moving Collar, though the Collar strictly is only the round Hole at a.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. v. Wks. 1874, I. 88. It is only these inward principles exerted, which are strictly acts of obedience, of veracity, [etc.].
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), IV. 344. This sort of acquisition of … an estate tail … is not strictly a descent.
1834. K. H. Digby, Mores Cath., V. v. 132. For which purpose there was a multitude of minor clerks employed who had not strictly orders.
1885. Stand. Nat. Hist., IV. 371. The genus Helarctos … strictly embraces but one species, Helarctos malayanus.
7. With respect to resemblance, correspondence, adaptation, and the like: Precisely, exactly; without discrepancy or exception.
1763. J. Brown, Poetry & Mus., xii. 213. Our sacred Poetry, sung in the Cathedrals, is transcribed strictly from the holy Scriptures.
1777. Priestley, Philos. Necess., iv. 31. As far as we can judge, motives and actions do strictly correspond to each other.
1831. Scott, Ct. Robt., iii. The first, which strictly resembled her own chair in size and convenience.
1892. Photogr. Ann., II. 570. The parts are made strictly interchangeable.
1909. E. R. Tennant, in Expositor, Aug., 117. The sinful is strictly correlative with the guilty.
8. With exact use of words; exactly, precisely. Often in the parenthetic phr. strictly speaking or to speak strictly.
1601. B. Jonson, Poetaster, V. ii. 39. Horace hath (but more strictly) spoke our thoughts.
1639. W. Sclater, Worthy Commun., 66. That speech … is to be understood in Trope, or sacred Figure, not strictly, and abstractively.
1673. S’ too him Bayes, 92. If this (strictly speaking) be no Quibble.
a. 1722. Fountainhall, Decis. (1759), I. 11. A fictitious and umbratile kind of treason, and to speak strictly, no treason at all.
1837. P. Keith, Bot. Lex., 397. Plants have no digestive apparatus strictly so called.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., i. I. 13. During the century and a half which followed the Conquest, there is, to speak strictly, no English history.
1912. Eng. Hist. Rev., XXVII. Oct., 762. Covering what he describes as the Amorian period, though this name strictly applies only to the last forty-seven years.
