Draconian    (pronounced dray-koh-nee-un or druh-koh-nee-un) adjective


Definition

(especially of laws, rules, punishment, etc.) exceedingly severe or cruel; extremely harsh.

[From Draco, the 7th century B.C. Athenian lawmaker who imposed an extremely severe code of laws.]

Main Example

  • To fight the growing menace of unsolicited e-mails, Congress has passed a law that authorizes draconian penalties--including five years in jail and $6 million in fines--for the most flagrant spammers.

    Workplace Examples

  • Even though I have drastically cut the department's overtime--by something like 60%--my boss is still not pleased. He wants to bring in even more draconian rules!

  • Now that we've convinced the vice president that the existing policy is producing some terribly draconian results, I expect she will soon loosen some of the restrictions.

    Other Examples

  • your pleading with somebody wielding the corporate ax: "Look, my organization is already very lean. Your proposal to shrink it by a third is much too draconian! We'll be crippled!"

  • a draconian newspaper columnist who thinks the U.S. needs a financial crash or other calamity to cleanse its political and economic systems of corruption and excesses

  • the International Whaling Commission recommending draconian limits on the killing of whales in a desperate attempt to preserve their numbers

  • authorities in Bangkok taking the draconian step of starting "Women Only" buses because all previous measures intended to stop the sexual harassment of female commuters in that city's jam-packed buses had failed

    © 2004 V.J. Singal

    This Month's Other Words

    Frisson
    Lacerating
    Exalted and Exaltation
    Albatross
    Revulsion
    Bastion
    Implacable

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