n.

1. An expression of strong disapproval or harsh criticism.
2. An official rebuke, as by a legislature of one of its members.

tr.v., -sured, -sur·ing, -sures.

1. To criticize severely; blame. See synonyms at criticize.
2. To express official disapproval of: “whether the Senate will censure one of its members for conflict of interest” (Washington Post).

[Middle English, from Latin cēnsūra, censorship, from cēnsor, Roman censor. See censor.]

censurer cen'sur·er n.

When the Senate decides to censure you, it may have no teeth but it hurts politically nonetheless:

"Saying that President Bush misled Americans about the legality of his domestic-eavesdropping program, Sen. Russ Feingold said Sunday he would introduce a resolution to censure him."

Link: Senator proposing censure of president

Posted March 13, 2006.

See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words.

Act by a governmental agency or professional organization, indicating condemnation or significant disapproval of an action by an individual or firm. Censure results from a material wrongdoing of an individual or company in the performance of professional duties. An example is when a CPA violates Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

noun

A comment expressing fault: blame, condemnation, criticism, denunciation, reprehension, reprobation. Informal pan. Slang knock. See praise/blame.

verb

1. To find fault with: blame, criticize, fault, rap. Informal cut up, pan. Slang knock. See praise/blame.
2. To feel or express strong disapproval of: condemn, denounce, deplore, reprehend, reprobate. See praise/blame.

n

Definition: severe criticism
Antonyms: approval, compliment, encouragement, endorsement, praise, ratification, recommendation, sanction

v

Definition: condemn; criticize severely
Antonyms: allow, approve, compliment, endorse, laud, permit, sanction

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By censuring one of its members, Congress formally rebukes that person for wrong doing. However, members who are censured do not lose their seat, their committee assignments, or their seniority. A simple majority vote can censure, but it requires a two-thirds vote to expel a member of Congress.

In 1842, the House nearly censured Representative John Quincy Adams (Whig-Massachusetts) for presenting an antislavery petition in violation of House rules. But Adams successfully fought back and the House took no vote. Other representatives suffered censure for insulting the Speaker, making treasonable utterances, assaulting fellow members of Congress, and corruption.

In 1811, the Senate censured Timothy Pickering (Federalist-Massachusetts) for reading a still-secret document in a public session. In 1902 two senators from South Carolina were censured for having a fist-fight in the Senate chamber. Senators have also been censured for the misuse of campaign funds and other financial irregularities.

The most infamous censure case involved Joseph R. McCarthy (Republican Wisconsin). McCarthy's reckless charges and bullying tactics had long troubled senators, but they hesitated to act because of the popularity of his anticommunist crusade. When McCarthy launched an irresponsible attack on the U.S. Army in 1954, public opinion turned against him. Following the Army-McCarthy hearings, the Senate by a vote of 67 to 22 found McCarthy guilty of conduct unbecoming a senator and of bringing the Senate into disrepute.

Since the resolution used the word condemn, McCarthy's supporters argued that he had not been censured. Other senators pointed out that the two words had identical meanings. In later cases involving financial misconduct, the Senate “denounced” offenders. Both the Senate and House have also “reprimanded” members for lesser offenses.

Congress may also pass resolutions of censure to condemn the President for improper, illegal, or unconstitutional conduct. Although the Constitution makes no mention of censure, three Presidents have been involved in incidents involving the censure power of Congress.

The Senate censured Andrew Jackson for failing to turn over executive branch records relating to the removal of government deposits from the Bank of the United States. Jackson had declined to comply because he believed the executive branch was independent from the legislature and that Congress had no right to demand any of his communications with cabinet officers.

In 1843 President John Tyler was censured by the House of Representatives after it failed to impeach him for vetoing bills passed by the Whig congressional majority. Former President John Quincy Adams chaired a select committee that reported that Tyler had misused his veto power. Tyler, like Jackson, responded with a letter to the House defending his conduct. The House refused to enter it into its journal and the matter was dropped.

President James Buchanan was investigated in 1860 by a congressional committee chaired by Representative John Covode for alleged improprieties involving appointments and contracts for government printing. The Covode committee's work might have led to censure, but President Buchanan sent a message of protest to the House. No resolution of censure was voted.

In 1998, after President Bill Clinton admitted that he lied about his affair with a White House intern, House Democrats drafted a resolution of censure. By a nearly party-line vote, the Republican majority defeated the censure resolution and instead impeached the President, who was later acquitted by the Senate.

See also Buchanan, James; Discipline, congressional; Expulsion from Congress; Impeachment; Jackson, Andrew; McCarthy, Joseph R.; Tyler, John

Sources

• Robert Griffith, The Politics of Fear: Joseph R. McCarthy and the Senate (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1970)

The official reprimand by a legislative or other formal body of one of its own members. Synonymous with obloquy. 11 P. 713, 716. A censure is more severe than a simple reprimand. Being under censure makes one the object of disgrace.

In ecclesiastical law, a spiritual punishment consisting in withdrawing from a baptized person, whether belonging to the clergy or the laity, a privilege which the church gives him, or in wholly expelling him from the christian community. 14 C.J.S. 100.

IN BRIEF: Expression of blame or disapproval.

Encouragement after censure is as the sun after a shower. — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832).

Tutor's tip: A "censer" is an incense burner, a "censor" is a person who suppresses ideas or materials, to "censure" is to blame or disapprove, while a "sensor" is a device that detects automatically.

Quotes:

"It is folly for an eminent man to think of escaping censure, and a weakness to be affected with it. All the illustrious persons of ;antiquity, and indeed of every age in the world, have passed through this fiery persecution." - Joseph Addison

"A man's first care should be to avoid the reproaches of his own heart, and his next to escape the censures of the world." - Joseph Addison

"The readiest and surest way to get rid of censure, is to correct ourselves." - Demosthenes

"I find the pain of a little censure, even when it is unfounded, is more acute than the pleasure of much praise." - Thomas Jefferson

"Few persons have sufficient wisdom to prefer censure, which is useful, to praise which deceives them." - Francois De La Rochefoucauld

"The censure of those who are opposed to us, is the highest commendation that can be given us." - Seigneur De Saint-Evremond

See more famous quotes about Censure

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Common misspelling(s) of censure

• sensure
• cencure

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - kritisere
n. - kritik

Nederlands (Dutch)
terechtwijzen, afkeuren, afkeuring

Français (French)
v. tr. - critiquer
n. - critique, réprimande

Deutsch (German)
v. - zurechtweisen, mißbilligen, tadeln
n. - Mißbilligung, Kritik, Tadel

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - αποδοκιμάζω, επικρίνω, μέμφομαι, επιπλήττω
n. - μομφή, επίκριση, αποδοκιμασία, στηλίτευση

Italiano (Italian)
rimproverare, censurare, censura

Português (Portuguese)
v. - censurar
n. - censura (f)

Русский (Russian)
осуждать, порицать

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - reprender, amonestar, desaprobar, censurar
n. - censura

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - kritisera
n. - omild kritik, censur

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
责备, 谴责, 责难

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 責備, 譴責
n. - 責難

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 비난하다
n. - 비난

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 非難
v. - 非難する, 酷評する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) لام, ذم, وبخ, زجر, آخذ (الاسم) لوم, ذم, توبيخ‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮נזף, ביקר, גינה‬
n. - ‮ביקורת קשה, גינוי‬

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