Procrustes

American  

[proh-kruhs-teez] / proʊˈkrʌs tiz /

noun

Classical Mythology.

1. a robber who stretched or amputated the limbs of travelers to make them conform to the length of his bed. He was killed by Theseus.

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Procrustes British  

/ prəʊˈkrʌstiːz /

noun

1. Greek myth a robber, who put travellers in his bed, stretching or lopping off their limbs so that they fitted it

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Procrustes Cultural  

1. A mythical Greek giant who was a thief and a murderer. He would capture travelers and tie them to an iron bed. If they were longer than the bed, he would hack off their limbs until they fit it. If they were too short, he would stretch them to the right size.

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Discover More

A “procrustean” method is one that relentlessly tries to shape a person, an argument, or an idea to a predetermined pattern.

Etymology

Origin of Procrustes

C16: from Greek Prokroustēs the stretcher, from prokrouein to extend by hammering out

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Procrustes

From sheer whimsicality, the mythical Greek giant Procrustes stretched short men out to fit a long bed.

From Time Magazine Archive

“But who can pronounce Procrustes? Bad for business. Now ‘Crusty,’ anybody can say that.”

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan

I cannot help that, you know; I'm not Procrustes.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 17, No. 99, January, 1866 by Various

The bed of Procrustes, madam, was a bed to which all who lay upon it had to be conformed.

From Come Rack! Come Rope! by Benson, Robert Hugh

"It is," answered Procrustes, "and you need but to lie down upon it, and it will fit you perfectly."

From Old Greek Stories by Baldwin, James