It wasn't illegal in the strict sense (of the word).

严格说来，这不算违法。

《牛津词典》

South Africa is leading the effort to develop a new class of safe and simple nuclear reactor-not renewable energy in the strict sense, but carbon-free and thus increasingly welcome.

南非正率先努力开发一种新的安全而简单的核反应堆——严格意义上讲这并非可再生能源，不过它是无碳的，因此越来越受到欢迎。

youdao

Unfortunately, the answer is "no" for security in a strict sense.

遗憾的是，从严格的安全角度而言，答案是“否定的”。

youdao

They don't in any strict sense repress it.

他们不会压抑这些回忆。

耶鲁公开课 - 文学理论导论课程节选

First of all, I found secretary Rumsfeld a very easy person to deal with in a sense that he's very professional, very strict, very honest, not the kind of guy who, you know, take a different position, try to around behind your back. If he's going to stab you, he's going to stab you in the chest.

首先，我发现拉姆斯菲尔德秘书长,是很容易打交道的人,我指的是他非常专业，非常严格，非常诚恳，不像那类人，因为观点立场不同,就从你背后放冷箭,如果他想杀了你，也是从正面进攻。

普林斯顿公开课 - 国际座谈会课程节选

The megalopsychos the gentleman whatever else he is is not a philosopher in the strict sense.

这种，Megalopsychos，绅士,以严格的标准看来并非哲学家,从社会学角度看来。

耶鲁公开课 - 政治哲学导论课程节选

They would all represent, implicitly at least, an increment to the national debt (at least in an economic sense, if not in a strict public-accounting sense).

BBC: Government becomes banker to the private sector

But these are pretty much the only really testable subjects in a very strict sense.

FORBES: Getting Rid of Bad Teachers

Sheen showed up for work and did his job, which makes diagnosing him an addict in a strict clinical sense an iffy proposition.

FORBES: Charlie Sheen: Talent That Can Be Managed IF You Know How.