procrustean bed (noun)

1. In Greek mythology, the towering giant Procrustes would force travelers to lie on his iron bed. If they were too short, he would stretch their bodies to fit the bed, and if they were too tall, he would amputate their limbs.

2. The horror movie depicted a sinister procrustean bed that could magically change its length according to the height of its victim, horrifying the audience.

3. In the comic book series, the villain created a procrustean bed to restrain the superheroes, making them conform to his standards of behavior and compliance.

4. The novel emphasized the oppressive nature of conformity by presenting a dystopian society where the government forced citizens to live by a procrustean bed of rules and regulations.