Word of the Day

: June 24, 2008

procrustean

adjective pruh-KRUSS-tee-un

What It Means

1 : of, relating to, or typical of Procrustes

2 : marked by arbitrary often ruthless disregard of individual differences or special circumstances

procrustean in Context

The company abandoned its procrustean scheduling policy and began allowing single mothers and other employees to work more flexible hours.

Did You Know?

Procrustes was one of many villains defeated by the Greek hero Theseus. According to Greek mythology, Procrustes was a robber who killed his victims in a most cruel and unusual way. He made them lie on an iron bed and would force them to fit the bed by cutting off the parts that hung off the ends or by stretching those people who were too short. Something "Procrustean," therefore, takes no account of individual differences but cruelly and mercilessly makes everything the same. And a "procrustean bed" is a scheme or pattern into which someone or something is arbitrarily forced.