Severe, burdensome, oppressive. Of laws, punishments, suffering, condition of life, etc.: hard to bear, onerous; rigorous, harsh.

Hard, unyielding. Of a judgement: stern, unchangeable, set in stone. Obsolete.

Severe, strict, harsh. Of punishment, persecution, laws, etc., also of a judge, lawgiver, etc.: Severe, merciless.

Of a commandment, law, penalty, vow: Stringent, strict, allowing no evasion. Obsolete exc. archaic.

Not relaxed; (in early use) (Scottish) not free from restraint, legal process, or penalty; (now esp.) not free from tension or stress.

Of law and its administration, rules, order, procedure, etc.: Admitting of no deviation, precise, rigorous. †Of diet: Strictly regulated.

Of law, judgement, punishment, discipline, restraint, and the like: Involving strict and rigorous treatment; executed or carried out with rigour…

Of a law, ordinance, etc., or its execution: Stringent and rigorous in its demands or provisions, allowing no evasion.

Rigorous, severe. Obsolete. rare.

Of regulations, procedure, requirements, obligations, etc.: rigorous, strict, thoroughgoing; rigorously binding or coercive.

Rigid, strict; solemn, formal.

colloquial. Exhibiting the severity or illiberality ascribed to a former age; cruel, barbarous.

Of laws or rules: strict, inflexible. Of an institution: marked by strict enforcement of discipline.