bowdlerize
verb
[ ˈbaʊdlərʌɪz ]
• remove material that is considered improper or offensive from (a text or account), especially with the result that the text becomes weaker or less effective.
• "every edition of his letters and diaries has been bowdlerized"
Similar:
expurgate,
censor,
blue-pencil,
cut,
edit,
redact,
make cuts to,
delete parts of,
make deletions in,
purge,
purify,
sanitize,
make presentable,
make acceptable,
make palatable,
water down,
emasculate,
clean up,
Origin:
mid 19th century: from the name of Dr Thomas Bowdler (1754–1825), who published an expurgated edition of Shakespeare in 1818, + -ize.
