bowdlerize

3 definitions found

bowdlerize - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Bowdlerize \Bowd"ler*ize\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bowdlerized; p.
     pr. & vb. n. Bowdlerizing.] [After Dr. Thomas Bowdler, an
     English physician, who published an expurgated edition of
     Shakespeare in 1818.]
     To expurgate, as a book, by omitting or modifying the parts
     considered offensive; to remove morally objectionable parts;
     -- said of literary texts.
  
     Syn: bowdlerise, expurgate, shorten, cut.
          [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
  
                It is a grave defect in the splendid tale of Tom
                Jones . . . that a Bowdlerized version of it would
                be hardly intelligible as a tale.   --F. Harrison.
          [1913 Webster] -- Bowd`ler*i*za"tion, n. --
          Bowd"ler*ism, n.
          [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

bowdlerize - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  bowdlerize
      v 1: edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate;
           "bowdlerize a novel" [syn: bowdlerize, bowdlerise,
           expurgate, castrate, shorten]

bowdlerize - Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 :

  50 Moby Thesaurus words for "bowdlerize":
     abbreviate, abridge, bleach, blot out, blue-pencil, cancel, censor,
     clean, clean out, clean up, cleanse, clear out, cross out, cut,
     delete, delouse, depurate, deterge, dry-clean, dust, dust off,
     edit, edit out, erase, expunge, expurgate, freshen, kill, lustrate,
     omit, purge, purify, reform, rescind, rub out, scavenge, spruce,
     steam-clean, strike, strike off, strike out, sweep out, sweeten,
     tidy, void, whiten, wipe, wipe off, wipe out, wipe up