
These "draconian measures" would include school closures, working-from-home arrangements and the cancellation of mass gatherings.ĭavemanuel. Hong Kong authorities said that "draconian measures" would have to be implemented in China in order to halt the spread of the "Coronavirus". Critics of the cutbacks assail the budget as having "draconian measures", which means that they believe that the cuts are extremely harsh. In order to balance their budget, the country is implementing harsh spending cuts, including cuts to health care and education. The country of XYZ has been posting deficits for the past decade. That's the definition of "draconian measures". So, if "draconian measures" are implemented (say, in a country's budget), then very harsh measures are thought to have been implemented.

So, the word "draconian" has come to mean something that is unusually harsh. Draco was the first legislator of Athens in Ancient Greece, and was responsible for implementing a written legal code (prior to Draco, the system was one of oral law and blood feud).ĭraco's laws were known as being especially harsh - the death penalty was chosen as the punishment for even minor offenses. In order to understand what the term "draconian measures" means, let's first break down the word "draconian".

Their measures were so severe that they were said to be written in letters of blood hence, any laws of excessive rigor. Draconian code, or Draconian laws, a code of laws made by Draco. Used especially in the phrase Draconian punishment.

What does the term "draconian measures" mean? What is meant by the term "draconian measures"? Draconian \Draco'nian\, Pertaining to Draco, a famous lawgiver of Athens, 621.
