hidebound

[hahyd-bound]

See more synonyms for hidebound on Thesaurus.com

adjective

narrow and rigid in opinion; inflexible: a hidebound pedant.
oriented toward or confined to the past; extremely conservative: a hidebound philosopher.
(of a horse, cow, etc.) having the back and ribs bound tightly by the hide.

Origin of hidebound

First recorded in 1550–60; hide² + -bound¹

Related formshide·bound·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for hidebound

antipathetic, averse, biased, bigoted, communist, conservative, contemptuous, dictatorial, disdainful, dogmatic, fanatical, fractious, hateful, illiberal, indignant, individualistic, inflexible, irate, irritable, jaundiced

Examples from the Web for hidebound

Contemporary Examples of hidebound

The GOP is still struggling to shed its hidebound, out-of-touch image, especially with voters not yet drawing Social Security.
Why America Needs Cheney. No, the Other Cheney.
Michelle Cottle
April 23, 2014
Change is a necessary part of life, even in hidebound Washington.
Odd Ideas, Short Tempers, Great Abs
Michelle Cottle
January 4, 2013

Historical Examples of hidebound

I am thankful that Lady Hamilton and I are not hidebound by any such superstitions.
The Admiral
Douglas Sladen
Not depraved, certainly, unless you insist on judging it by a hidebound ethic.
Earthsmith
Milton Lesser
It is more free and easy, not so hidebound and overrun with hypocrisy.
The Cottage of Delight
Will N. Harben
He comes from a part of the country that's not so hidebound by caste as this country.
Nobody's Child
Elizabeth Dejeans
The Amphibs were, in their way, as hidebound—no pun intended—as the Land-walkers.
Rastignac the Devil
Philip Jos Farmer

British Dictionary definitions for hidebound

hidebound

adjective

restricted by petty rules, a conservative attitude, etc
(of cattle, etc) having the skin closely attached to the flesh as a result of poor feeding
(of trees) having a very tight bark that impairs growth

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for hidebound

adj.

1550s, from hide (n.1) + past tense of bind (v.). Original reference is to emaciated cattle with skin sticking closely to backbones and ribs; metaphoric sense of "restricted by narrow attitudes" is first recorded c.1600.