Word of the Day Archive
Friday December 22, 2000
censure \SEN-shur\ , noun:
1. The act of blaming or finding fault with and condemning as wrong; reprehension; blame.
2. An official reprimand or expression of disapproval.
transitive verb:
1. To find fault with and condemn as wrong; to blame; to criticize severely.
2. To express official disapproval of.
She was tired of their disapproval, the silent censure, their eagerness always to assume the worst.
-- Mary McGarry Morris, Fiona Range
But it was the dread news of death from scurvy that dominated headlines. A naval court of inquiry censured Nares for failing to provide his sledge crew with fresh lime juice.
-- Leonard F. Guttridge, Ghosts of Cape Sabine
The reason Vinnie was censured and put on probation rather than terminated was the extenuating circumstances of his behavior.
-- Robin Cook, Vector
Censure comes from Latin censura, "censorship, judgment," from censere, "to form or express an opinion, to appraise."
Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for censure
