Changed or altered something, often dishonestly or to hide the truth; past tense of doctor.
From 'doctor' (one who teaches or heals, from Latin 'docere' to teach). The verb meaning 'to alter' emerged in the 1600s, likely from the idea of a doctor 'treating' or changing something.
When we say a photo is 'doctored,' we're using a 500-year-old metaphor—just as a doctor treats a patient by changing them, doctoring a document means treating it in a way that changes its meaning. Metaphors are everywhere!
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