Adjacent Words

bowdlerize definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

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

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb (-ized; -izing) Etymology: Thomas Bowdler died 1825 English editor Date: 1836 1. to expurgate (as a book) by omitting or modifying parts considered vulgar 2. to modify by abridging, simplifying, or distorting in style or content • bowdlerization noun • bowdlerizer noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. (also -ise) expurgate (a book etc.). Derivatives: bowdlerism n. bowdlerization n. Etymology: T. Bowdler (d. 1825), expurgator of Shakesp.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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. It is a grave defect in the splendid tale of Tom Jones . . . that a Bowlderized version of it would be hardly intelligible as a tale. --F. Harrison. -- Bowd`ler*i*za"tion, n. -- Bowd"ler*ism, n.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(bowdlerizes, bowdlerizing, bowdlerized) Note: in BRIT, also use 'bowdlerise' To bowdlerize a book or film means to take parts of it out before publishing it or showing it. I'm bowdlerizing it–just slightly changing one or two words so listeners won't be upset. ...a bowdlerised version of the song. VERB: V n, V-ed [disapproval]

Moby Thesaurus

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