Bowdlerize (Verb)
Meaning
Edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate; "bowdlerize a novel".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The publisher had to bowdlerize the novel to make it more suitable for a younger audience.
- The company bowdlerized the film to remove violent scenes before releasing it in a family-friendly version.
- Critics argued that the editor had bowdlerized the original text by removing key phrases that added depth to the narrative.
- Some argue that bowdlerizing James Joyce's Ulysses is essentially altering its core meaning.
- In an effort to avoid controversy, the company bowdlerized the comedian's stand-up special before airing it on television.