Censure or censor?

Joel S. Berson Berson at ATT.NET
Tue Sep 2 00:38:11 UTC 2008


In her (?) generally negative review of Steven Bochco's "new drama of
judicial tantrum throwing and tousled hair," Raising the Bar," Ginia
Bellafante writes "But some [beers] are consumed in the shower,
because this is the kind of show in which three words generally
relevant to any treatment of the legal profession---"conflict of
interest"---appear to have been censured."

(In a family newspaper, Ms. Ballatante is not explicit, but I surmise
conflict of interest looms because the assistant district attorneys
and the public defenders are taking the showers together.)

Did Ms. Ballafante misuse "censure" for "censor" here?  In my
experience, actions may be censured, but words are censored.  But I
do note "censure, v.  {dag}6. trans. To exercise censorship over.
Obs. rare. (Cf. CENSURE n. 5.)", with a single citation from 1605;
and "censure, n. 5. [is] Censorship; the office or action of a
censor.    a. Of the ancient Roman censors (= L. censura)"

An eggcorn?

Joel

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