bowdlerize

Definition

To remove or alter those parts of a text considered offensive, vulgar, or otherwise unseemly.

Etymology

From Bowdler + -ize; named after English physician Thomas Bowdler (1754–1825). In 1818, he published a censored version of William Shakespeare (The Family Shakespeare), expurgating “those words and expressions […] which cannot with propriety be read aloud in a family.”

Example Sentences

• "The bowdlerized version of the novel, while free of vulgarity, was also free of flavor."
• "Mr. Stanley decided to treat that as irrelevant. "There ought to be a Censorship of Books.[…]" Ogilvy pursued his own topic. "I'm inclined to think, Stanley, myself that as a matter of fact it was the expurgated 'Romeo and Juliet' did the mischief. […] All they left it was the moon and stars. And the balcony and 'My Romeo!'" "Shakespeare is altogether different from the modern stuff. Altogether different. I'm not discussing Shakespeare. I don't want to Bowdlerise Shakespeare.[…]""
• ""Wadley sent a message: 'The President of the Zoological Institute presents his compliments to Professor Challenger, and would take it as a personal favor if he would do them the honour to come to their next meeting.' The answer was unprintable." "You don't say?" "Well, a bowdlerized version of it would run: 'Professor Challenger presents his compliments to the President of the Zoological Institute, and would take it as a personal favour if he would go to the devil.'""

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