astriction

Noun

astriction (countable and uncountable, plural astrictions)

1. The act of binding; restriction; obligation.
   • So of marriage he is the author and the witness; yet hence will not follow any divine astriction more than what is subordinate to the glory of God, and the main good of either party.1644, John Milton, The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce, Book I, Ch. XIII
2. A contraction of parts by applications; the action of an astringent substance.
3. (obsolete) constipation
   • Astriction of the Belly is commonly a sign of strong chylopocerick Organ1731, John Arbuthnot, An Essay Concerning the Nature of Aliments, and the Choice of Them, According to the Different Constitutions of Human Bodies. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson […], →OCLC
4. (obsolete) astringency
   • Myrobalanes have it ; and it may be the barks of peaches : for this virtue requireth an astriction ; but such an astriction as is not grateful to the body1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “I. Century.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William...
5. (Scotland, historical) An obligation to have the grain growing on certain lands ground at a certain mill, the owner paying a toll. (The lands were said to be astricted to the mill.)
   • Payment of dry multures will even imply a title; being exclusive of any other supposition than astriction1833, George Joseph Bell, Principles of the Law of Scotland