STRICTNESS, noun 1. Closeness; tightness; opposed to laxity. 2. Exactness in the observance of rules, laws, rites and the like; rigorous accuracy; nice regularity or precision. I could not grant too much or distrust too little to men that pretended singular piety and religious strictness 3. Rigor; severity. These commissioners proceeded with such strictness and severity as did much obscure the kings mercy.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI