BOWDLERIZE

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

Present simple: I / you / we / they bowdlerize ... he / she / it bowdlerizes

Past simple: bowdlerized

Past participle: bowdlerized

-ing form: bowdlerizing

Meaning:

Edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate

Example:

bowdlerize a novel

Synonyms:

bowdlerise; bowdlerize; castrate; expurgate; shorten

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "bowdlerize" is one way to...):

abbreviate; abridge; contract; cut; foreshorten; reduce; shorten (reduce in scope while retaining essential elements)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They won't bowdlerize the story

Derivation:

bowdlerization (the act of deleting or modifying all passages considered to be indecent)

bowdlerization (written material that has been bowdlerized)

bowdlerizer (a person who edits a text by removing obscene or offensive words or passages)