strait waistcoat

strait waistcoat

A doctor secures a patient's arms with a strait waistcoat in a clinical setting.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A restraining garment: "strait waistcoat" is a type of restrictive jacket used to restrain the arms of a person, historically employed in psychiatric settings for individuals who were considered dangerously agitated or insane. It typically has long sleeves that can be tied behind the wearer's back to immobilize the arms.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • The patient was placed in a strait waistcoat to prevent self-harm. (A restraining jacket was used to control the person's movements.)
    • In historical asylums, the strait waistcoat was a common tool for managing violent behavior. (The garment was widely used in past mental health institutions.)
Advanced Usage

  • "to be in a strait waistcoat": to be physically restrained by this garment.

    • The unruly prisoner was kept in a strait waistcoat overnight. (The prisoner was bound in the restraining jacket for the night.)

  • "strait waistcoat as metaphor": used figuratively to describe any situation that severely restricts freedom or action.

    • The new regulations felt like a strait waistcoat on the company's creativity. (The rules were seen as overly restrictive.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Straitjacket (n): a more common synonym for "strait waistcoat," referring to the same restraining garment.

    • The nurse carefully fastened the straitjacket. (The restraining jacket was secured.)

  • Straiten (v): to restrict or confine (related to the word "strait," meaning narrow or tight).

    • The financial crisis straitened their options. (The crisis limited their choices.)
Synonyms
  • Restraining jacket: a garment designed to limit movement.
  • Camisole: a type of straitjacket used in medical contexts.
  • Hobble: a device or condition that restricts motion.
Related Idioms

  • "In a strait waistcoat": to be completely constrained or controlled.

    • After the scandal, the politician was in a strait waistcoat of public scrutiny. (He was tightly restricted by public attention.)

  • "To put someone in a strait waistcoat": to impose severe restrictions on someone.

    • The manager put the team in a strait waistcoat with the new strict policies. (The manager heavily limited the team's actions.)