a. Concise; contracted. [ Obs. ] Weever. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Astricted; p. pr. & vb. n. Astricting. ] [ L. astrictus, p. p. of astringere. See Astringe. ] 1. To bind up; to confine; to constrict; to contract. [ 1913 Webster ]

The solid parts were to be relaxed or astricted. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bind; to constrain; to restrict; to limit. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The mind is astricted to certain necessary modes or forms of thought. Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Scots Law) To restrict the tenure of; as, to astrict lands. See Astriction, 4. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. astrictio. ] 1. The act of binding; restriction; also, obligation. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) (a) A contraction of parts by applications; the action of an astringent substance on the animal economy. Dunglison. (b) Constipation. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Astringency. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Scots Law) An obligation to have the grain growing on certain lands ground at a certain mill, the owner paying a toll. Bell. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The lands were said to be astricted to the mill. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Binding; astringent. -- n. An astringent. -- As*tric"tive*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

a. Astrictive. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ Pref. a- + stride. ] With one leg on each side, as a man when on horseback; with the legs stretched wide apart; astraddle. [ 1913 Webster ]

Placed astride upon the bars of the palisade. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Glasses with horn bows sat astride on his nose. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. astrifer; astrum star + ferre to bear. ] Bearing stars. [ R. ] Blount. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Astringed p. pr. & vb. n. Astringing ] [ L. astringere; ad + stringere to draw tight. Cf. Astrict, and see Strain, v. t. ] 1. To bind fast; to constrict; to contract; to cause parts to draw together; to compress. [ 1913 Webster ]

Which contraction . . . astringeth the moisture of the brain and thereby sendeth tears into the eyes. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bind by moral or legal obligation. Wolsey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being astringent; the power of contracting the parts of the body; that quality in medicines or other substances which causes contraction of the organic textures; as, the astringency of tannin. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. astringens, p. pr. of astringere: cf. F. astringent. See Astringe. ] 1. Drawing together the tissues; binding; contracting; -- opposed to laxative; as, astringent medicines; a butter and astringent taste; astringent fruit. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Stern; austere; as, an astringent type of virtue. [ 1913 Webster ]