censure

plural censures

1. countableuncountableThe act of blaming, criticizing, or condemning as wrong; reprehension.

   Both the censure and the praise were merited.

   1856 December, [Thomas Babington] Macaulay, “Samuel Johnson”, in T[homas] F[lower] E[llis], editor, The Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches of Lord Macaulay, new edition, London: Longman, Green, Reader, & Dyer, published 1871, →OCLC

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   Censure, which arraigns the public actions and the private motives of princes, has ascribed to envy, a conduct which might be attributed to the prudence and moderation of Hadrian.

   1776, Edward Gibbon, chapter I, in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: admonishment, dispraise, disapprobation, attainder, attainture, attaintment, blame, condemnation

2. countableuncountableOfficial reprimand.

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   After his actions were challenged by foreign governments and Parliament initially tried to put a stop to his action, Denman returned home and argued his case with enough force that, by 1848, the Royal Navy was handed active permission and encouragement to raze every last slave factory they could find to the ground, and full authority to stop any ship, of any flag, that was thought to be a slaver, with a guarantee with^([sic]) no censure from the government.

   2018 December 1, Drachinifel, 9:45 from the start, in Anti-Slavery Patrols - The West Africa Squadron, archived from the original on 29 Nov 2024

3. countableuncountableA judicial or ecclesiastical sentence or reprimand; condemnatory judgment.

   [E]xcommunication […] being the chief ecclesiastical censure

   1679–1715, Gilbert Burnet, “(please specify the page)”, in The History of the Reformation of the Church of England., London: […] T[homas] H[odgkin] for Richard Chiswell, […]

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   He that hath past / So many Cenſures is novv come at laſt / To haue your princely Eares, grace you him; […]

   c. 1589–1590 (date written), Christopher Marlo[we], “The Prologue Spoken at Court”, in Tho[mas] Heywood, editor, The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Iew of Malta. […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Nicholas Vavasour, […], published 1633, →OCLC, , signature [A4], recto

   Synonyms: discipline, punishment, sanction, correction, discipline, penalty, punishment, punition

4. countableobsoleteuncountableA judgment (either favorable or unfavorable); an opinion.

   Take each man's cenſure, but reſerve thy judgment.

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]

   Synonyms: conclusion, idea, view, award, choice, opinion, conclusion, decision

present singular third person censures · participle present censuring · participle past censured · past censured

1. transitiveTo criticize harshly.

   I may be censured that nature thus gives way to loyalty.

   c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]

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   The Woodwalton signalman, Rose, who was severely censured in Captain Tyler's report, behaved with great negligence.

   1946 January and February, T. S. Lascelles, “A Series of False Signals”, in Railway Magazine, page 43

   Cultural norms and social rules regulate whether someone can be among others or will be isolated, whether the sick will be considered foul or acceptable, and whether they are to be pitied or censured.

   1982 March 18, Eric J. Cassel[l], “The Nature of Suffering and the Goals of Medicine”, in The New England Journal of Medicine, volume 306, number 11, →DOI, page 642

   Synonyms: castigate, excoriate, lay into, admonish, animadvert, bash, bawl out, tilt

2. transitiveTo formally rebuke.

   The US House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to censure Rep. Adam Schiff, a key lawmaker in Democrats’ congressional investigations into former President Donald Trump during his presidency.

   2023 June 21, Haley Talbot and Kristin Wilson, “House votes to censure Democratic congressman who led Trump investigations”, in CNN

   Synonyms: reprimand

3. obsoletetransitiveTo form or express a judgment in regard to; to estimate; to judge.

   Should I say more, you might well censure me a flatterer.

   1625, John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, “The Elder Brother. A Comedy.”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1679, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii

   Synonyms: dub, esteem, look upon, account, appraise, count, esteem, see