Bowdlerization

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  bowdlerization \bowdlerization\ n.
     the deletion of all passages considered to be indecent.
  
     Syn: bowdlerisation, expurgation.
          [WordNet 1.5]



From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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.]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  bowdlerization
       n 1: written material that has been bowdlerized [syn: {bowdlerisation}]
       2: the act of deleting or modifying all passages considered to
          be indecent [syn: {bowdlerisation}]