to blue-pencil - Glite Dictionary

Examples

The editor decided to blue-pencil the controversial sections of the article before publication.
When I brought school essays home to ask why my teacher had blue-penciled so much, he thought the teacher was mistaken.

Academic text (1997)
During the review process, the committee had to blue-pencil parts of the report that contained sensitive information.
The writer was frustrated after realizing that the publisher would blue-pencil much of her original content.

Synonyms

to edit

vsto blue-pencil

337 1.5

To change text, video or audio to make it better

is specifically about censoring or cutting content during review and approval

to delete

vsto blue-pencil

287 2.0

To remove information like text or files so it cannot be seen

applies to censoring or cutting text during editing rather than general erasure

to redact

vsto blue-pencil

Formal

35 7.5

Change a text to make it clearer or remove private information

focuses on censoring or cutting material during editing or review

to cross out

vsto blue-pencil

14 2.3

Draw a line through a word or item to show it should be removed

refers to censoring or eliminating material as part of editing or review

to black out

vsto blue-pencil

12 6.1

To hide information so people cannot see it

is about censoring or cutting content during editing rather than final suppression

to edit out

vsto blue-pencil

11 3.2

Remove part of a film, recording, or text before release

is focused on censoring or cutting content for review rather than neutral removal

to blank out

vsto blue-pencil

Literature

1 6.4

To remove words or other information from a document to hide them

tends to mean cutting out content rather than merely hiding it

to dele

vsto blue-pencil

Jargon

9.9

To mark text so it will be removed

is used specifically to censor or cut text during review

Antonyms

to add

∞ 1.0

Include something extra to make something larger or better

to approve

∞ 1.6

To officially agree to something or think that it is good

How Severe

to expurgate

1 9.6

to censor

514 5.2

to redact

Formal

35 7.5

to blue-pencil

1 8.0

edit

57 2.8

to trim

95 2.6

Surface Forms

blue-pencil infinitive

blue-penciled past

blue-penciled past participle

blue-penciling present participle

blue-pencils third person singular

Morphology

blue-pencil = blue pencil (semi-transparent) = blue + pencil

The phrase originally referred to literally marking deletions with a blue pencil, but the modern sense 'censor or cut text' is conventionalized and not fully predictable from the parts alone.

Etymology

Blue-pencil comes from editors who used a blue pencil to mark text they wanted to cut or change. So, to blue-pencil something is to 'censor' or 'cut out' parts of writing.