British spelling: to remove or alter words, passages, or scenes from a book, film, or text to remove content considered indecent or offensive.
From Thomas Bowdler + the suffix -ise (British spelling). Bowdler published expurgated editions of Shakespeare in 1807-1827, and his name became synonymous with prudish censorship.
What's hilarious is that Bowdler thought he was doing Shakespeare a favor by removing 'coarse' language—but the Bard is famous for his bawdy humor! It's like someone removing all the jokes from a comedy special to make it 'family-friendly.'
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