tight-laced
📖 Definitions
adjective
Excessively proper, strict, or old-fashioned.
💬 Usage Examples
The term originates from the historical practice of lacing clothing -- especially women’s bodices -- very tightly to present a small waist and a more upright, rigid posture. This physical constraint gradually evolved into a metaphor for inflexible or narrow-minded attitudes, often associated with conservative social or moral views. A synonym is straitlaced.