croustico-, crousto-, crusto-, croust-, crust-, kroustico-, krousto-, kroust-, krust-

1. An attempt to produce uniformity or conformity by heavy-handed and arbitrary means; such as, his procrustean manner and reasoning.
2. A process of trying to establish strict conformity by using any and all means, including violence.
3. From about 1846, in a figurative sense of "aiming to produce conformity by arbitrary means".

Procrustes (a Greek mythological character) was a scoundrel who lived at Erineus, near Eleusis, in Greece during ancient times. Although his real name was either Damastes or Polypemon, Procrustes (Stretcher) was better known by his nickname, which he earned from his habits as a host.

Procrustes lived in a house by the side of the road that led from Eleusis to Athens and invited (or forced) travelers to spend the night with him. If they did not exactly fit into the bed he provided, he would either stretch them or lop off their extremities until they conformed to the size of the bed. According to legend, Theseus avenged many a departed guest by treating Procrustes to the same form of hospitality [before Procrustes was killed].

Inducing conformity by violent or arbitrary means.

From Procrustes, a fabled robber of ancient Attica who forced travelers to lie on a bed, then lopped off their limbs to make them equal to the length of the bed. If they were too short, he stretched them.

Someone once wrote about a "bed of Procrustes", denouncing government laws which compel identical treatment for everyone in every situation, regardless of each person's individuality.

To stretch or contract according to some rule or standard.

Any attempt to reduce people to one standard, one way of thinking, or one way of acting; is called placing them on Procrustes’ bed.

In Greek legend, Procrustes placed all who fell into his hands upon an iron bed. If they were longer than the bed, he cut off the overhanging parts; if shorter, he stretched them until they fit the bed.

A mythological Greek torturer: in Greek mythology, a robber who abducted strangers and forced them to fit perfectly into a bed by either cutting off or stretching their limbs.