The phrase "a strict construction" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in legal or academic contexts when discussing the interpretation of laws, texts, or documents in a precise and literal manner.
Example: "The court adopted a strict construction of the statute, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the exact wording."
Alternatives: "a literal interpretation" or "a rigid interpretation".
And he would promise to adhere to a strict construction schedule.
The conservatives, heavily concentrated in the South, applied a strict construction to Scripture; this required a specific New Testament precept to authorize any practice.
A total of N = 189 subjects took two tests of matrix items that were automatically generated according to a strict construction rationale.
In a short opinion, the U.S. Court of Military Appeals adopted a strict construction of the phrase "in time of war" finding that the phrase referred only to a congressionally declared war.
"Our legal staff has taken a very strict construction of what is an imminent threat," she said.
"We wanted Ted to take a leadership role in the United States in articulating a vision of strict construction.
Procter & Gamble, in what could be considered a plea for strict construction, argued that Pringles — which are about 40percentt potato flour, but also contain corn, rice and wheat — should not be considered potato chips or "similar products".
Waving a wand called "strict construction" can't fully illuminate purposely vague phrases like "cruel and unusual". Invoking original intent won't tell you what the authors' original intent was about dealing with changing circumstances.
But they muddle it by presenting their own preferred judicial ideology--a flurry of bromidic phrases: judicial restraint, strict construction, original intent--as a piety beyond legitimate dispute.
Many Catholics don't even know that the "promise of celibacy" is a promise not to marry, not -- in the strict construction sense -- a promise to be chaste.
Jefferson and his Republicans (not related to today's Republicans) advocated states' rights, a weak federal government and strict construction of the Constitution.
