N. severity, strictness, harshness, rigor, stringency, austerity, inclemency, arrogance, precisianism, arbitrary power, absolutism, despotism, dictatorship, autocracy, tyranny, domineering, oppression, assumption, usurpation, inquisition, reign of terror, martial law, iron heel, iron rule, iron hand, iron sway, tight grasp, brute force, brute strength, coercion, strong hand, tight hand, hard lines, hard measure, tender mercies, sharp practice, pipe-clay, officialism, tyrant, disciplinarian, precisian, martinet, stickler, bashaw, despot, hard master, draco, oppressor, inquisitor, extortioner, harpy, vulture, accipitres, birds of prey, raptorials, raptors

V. be -severe, assume, usurp, arrogate, take liberties, domineer, bully, tyrannize, inflict, wreak, stretch a point, put on the screw, be hard upon, bear a heavy hand on, lay a heavy hand on, be down upon, come down upon, ill treat, deal hardly with, deal hard measure to, rule with a rod of iron, chastise with scorpions, dye with blood, oppress, override, trample under foot, tread under foot, tread upon, trample upon, tread down upon, trample down upon, crush under an iron heel, ride roughshod over, rivet the yoke, hold a tight hand, keep a tight hand, force down the throat, coerce, give no quarter

Adj. severe, strict, hard, harsh, dour, rigid, stiff, stern, rigorous, uncompromising, exacting, exigent, exigeant, inexorable, inflexible, obdurate, austere, hard-headed, hard-nosed, hard-shell, relentless, spartan, draconian, stringent, strait-laced, searching, unsparing, iron- handed, peremptory, absolute, positive, arbitrary, imperative, coercive, tyrannical, extortionate, grinding, withering, oppressive, inquisitorial, inclement, cruel, haughty, arrogant, precisian

Adv. severely, with a high hand, with a strong hand, with a tight hand, with a heavy hand, at the point of the sword, at the point of the bayonet

Phr. delirant reges plectuntur achivi, manu forti, ogni debole ha sempre il suo tiranno