Word of the Day

Saturday, December 15, 2007

draconian

\dray-KOHN-ee-uhn; druh-\ , adjective;

Pertaining to Draco, a lawgiver of Athens, 621 B.C.

Excessively harsh; severe.

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Quotes:

The Irish Government last night announced a package of measures it described as "draconian" as part of an unprecedented crackdown on dissident republicans.

-- "Draconian crackdown to help end the violence", Birmingham Post, August 20, 1998

In October 1996 Allen publicly admitted that his draconian cost-cutting campaign had had devastating effects on Delta's workforce.

-- Daniel Goleman, Working with Emotional Intelligence

The most straightforward solution would be a draconian crackdown on all unrest -- curfews, house-to-house searches, firing on armed rioters, mass internment, widespread use of capital punishment for terrorists, and so on.

-- John O'Sullivan, "Dangerous Restraint", National Review, April 6, 2004

Origin:

Draconian refers to a code of laws made by Draco. Their measures were so severe that they were said to be written in blood.