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One who is scrupulous and strict in his religious life; -- often used reproachfully or in contempt; one who has overstrict notions. She would make a puritan of the devil. Shak.

Precise in observance of legal or religious requirements; strict; overscrupulous; rigid; -- often used by way of reproach or contempt. Paritanical circles, from which plays and novels were strictly excluded. Macaulay. He had all the puritanic traits, both good and evil. Hawthorne.

Scrupulously faithful or exact; strict. Thus, Indianlike, Religious in my error, I adore The sun, that looks upon his worshiper. Shak.

Manifesting, exercising, or favoring rigor; allowing no abatement or mitigation; scrupulously accurate; exact; strict; severe; relentless; as, a rigorous officer of justice; a rigorous execution of law; a rigorous definition or demonstration. He shall be thrown down the Tarpeian Rock With rigorous hands. Shak. We do no…

Holiness; devoutness; scrupulous austerity; sanctity; especially, outward or artificial saintliness; assumed or pretended holiness; hypocritical devoutness. Her pretense is a pilgrimage; . . . which holy undertaking with most austere sanctimony she accomplished. Shak.

To render nice or dainty; hence, to render scrupulous. [Obs.] "A spiced conscience." Chaucer.

Queasy; nice; squeamish; fastidious; scrupulous. [Obs.] Bp. Earle.

Strict; scrupulous; rigorous. Some certain edicts and some strait decrees. Shak. The straitest sect of our religion. Acts xxvi. 5 (Rev. Ver.).

Excessive nicety; scrupulous exactness.

Evincing superstition; overscrupulous and rigid in religious observances; addicted to superstition; full of idle fancies and scruples in regard to religion. Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. Acts xvii. 22.

ainst deception, artifices, and dangers; timorously or suspiciously prudent; circumspect; scrupulous; careful. "Bear a wary eye." Shak. We should be wary, therefore, what persecution we raise against the living labors of public men. Milton.