Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1800-1900
Origin: Thomas Bowdler (1754-1825), English editor who removed impolite words from Shakespeare's plays

bowdlerize

 verb
     
Related topics: Literature
bowd‧ler‧ize also bowdlerise British English [transitive]
AL to remove all the parts of a book, play etc that you think might offend someone - used to show disapproval:
a bowdlerized version of 'Antony and Cleopatra'
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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