narrow construction

Cultural  

1. A theory of interpretation of the Constitution that holds that the courts, particularly the Supreme Court, should be bound by the exact words of the Constitution, or by the original intent of the framers of the Constitution, or a combination of both. (Compare broad construction.)

---

Example Sentences

Englewood Cliffs Mayor Joseph Parisi said the town changed its height rules for any property of more than 25 acres because LG's building design relies on tall, narrow construction in order to maximize energy efficiency.

From Reuters • Nov. 20, 2013

Is it not an offensively narrow construction to call chess a game?

From Time Magazine Archive

In his opinion, Marshall inveighed against "the baneful influence of . . . narrow construction on all the operations of the government."

From Time Magazine Archive

As the first Secretary of State, Jefferson believed that liberty was jeopardized by concentrated federal power, which he tried to restrict through a narrow construction of the Constitution.

From Time Magazine Archive

My mind was soon satisfied that the narrow construction which left the accused to decide whether to abide his trial or by resignation to defeat the jurisdiction of the court could not possibly be correct.

From Autobiography of Seventy Years, Vol. 1-2 by Hoar, George Frisbie