strait-jacket

(noun) anything immaterial that severely hinders or confines. Synonyms: straitjacket. Examples: "They defected because russian dance was in a straitjacket." "The government is operating in an economic straitjacket."

(noun) a garment similar to a jacket that is used to bind the arms tightly against the body as a means of restraining a violent person. Synonyms: straitjacket, straightjacket.