bowdlerise

bowd·ler·ize

B b

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [bohd-luh-rahyz, boud-]
- /ˈboʊd ləˌraɪz, ˈbaʊd-/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [bohd-luh-rahyz, boud-]
- /ˈboʊd ləˌraɪz, ˈbaʊd-/

Definitions of bowdlerise word

verb with object bowdlerise to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable. 1
verb bowdlerise Alternative form of bowdlerize. 0

See all 2 definitions of bowdlerise

Information block about the term

Origin of bowdlerise

First appearance:

before 1830

One of the 36% newest English words

1830-40; after Thomas Bowdler (1754-1825), English editor of an expurgated edition of Shakespeare

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Bowdlerise

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Bowdlerise

bowdlerise popularity

A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 43% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.

According to our data most of word are more popular. This word is almost not used. It has a much more popular synonym.

bowdlerise usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for bowdlerise

noun bowdlerise

blue pencil — deletion, alteration, or censorship of the contents of a book or other work
censorship — Censorship is the censoring of books, plays, films, or reports, especially by government officials, because they are considered immoral or secret in some way.
iron curtain — (sometimes initial capital letters) a barrier to understanding and the exchange of information and ideas created by ideological, political, and military hostility of one country toward another, especially such a barrier between the Soviet Union and its allies and other countries.
forbidding — grim; unfriendly; hostile; sinister: his forbidding countenance.

verb bowdlerise

censor — If someone in authority censors letters or the media, they officially examine them and cut out any information that is regarded as secret.
expurgate — Remove matter thought to be objectionable or unsuitable from (a book or account).
exscind — (medicine, surgery) To cut out.
hacked — to place (something) on a hack, as for drying or feeding.
hacking — a rack for drying food, as fish.

All 10 Synonyms of bowdlerise