abnormal narrowing of a bodily canal or passageway
<noun.state>
severe criticism
<noun.communication>
Stricture \Stric"ture\, n. [L. strictura a contraction, from stringere, strictum, to draw tight: cf. F. stricture. See {Strict}.] 1. Strictness. [Obs.]
A man of stricture and firm abstinence. --Shak.
2. A stroke; a glance; a touch. [Obs.] --Sir M. Hale.
3. A touch of adverse criticism; censure.
[I have] given myself the liberty of these strictures by way of reflection on all and every passage. --Hammond.
4. (Med.) A localized morbid contraction of any passage of the body. Cf. {Organic stricture}, and {Spasmodic stricture}, under {Organic}, and {Spasmodic}. --Arbuthnot.
Labour's refusal to 'pair' with Tory MPs, the process whereby MPs of opposing parties agree to be absent during a vote, is forcing MPs to be on hand for virtually every Commons vote -a stricture to which most are unaccustomed.
The Senate and House bills would also apply the no-starts stricture to the superconducting super collider, the huge high-energy physics installation that would enable scientists to delve deeper into the nature of matter.