censure

criticize harshly; reprove; condemn: He was censured for his use of profanity.
Not to be confused with:censer – a container in which incense is burned: He lighted the censer on the altar.censor – prohibit or restrict the use of something: They censor motorcycles in the cemetery.sensor – a device that detects and responds to a signal or stimulus: A smoke alarm is an essential sensor in case of fire.

cen·sure

C0196100 (sĕn′shər)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. cen·sured, cen·sur·ing, cen·sures To express strong disapproval of or criticize severely, especially in an official capacity: "whether the Senate will censure one of its members for conflict of interest" (Washington Post). See Synonyms at criticize.

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

cen′sur·a·ble adj.cen′sur·a·bly adv.cen′sur·er n.

censure

(ˈsɛnʃə) nsevere disapproval; harsh criticismvbto criticize (someone or something) severely; condemn[C14: from Latin cēnsūra, from cēnsēre to consider, assess] ˈcensurer n

cen•sure

(ˈsɛn ʃər)

n., v. -sured, -sur•ing. n. 1. strong or vehement expression of disapproval. 2. an official reprimand, as by a legislative body or one of its members. v.t. 3. to criticize or reproach in a harsh manner. v.i. 4. to give censure. [1350–1400; Middle English < Latin cēnsūra censor's office, assessment] cen′sur•a•ble, adj. cen′sur•er, n. syn: See abuse. See also reprimand.

censure

Past participle: censured
Gerund: censuring

Imperative
censure
censure

Present
I censure
you censure
he/she/it censures
we censure
you censure
they censure

Preterite
I censured
you censured
he/she/it censured
we censured
you censured
they censured

Present Continuous
I am censuring
you are censuring
he/she/it is censuring
we are censuring
you are censuring
they are censuring

Present Perfect
I have censured
you have censured
he/she/it has censured
we have censured
you have censured
they have censured

Past Continuous
I was censuring
you were censuring
he/she/it was censuring
we were censuring
you were censuring
they were censuring

Past Perfect
I had censured
you had censured
he/she/it had censured
we had censured
you had censured
they had censured

Future
I will censure
you will censure
he/she/it will censure
we will censure
you will censure
they will censure

Future Perfect
I will have censured
you will have censured
he/she/it will have censured
we will have censured
you will have censured
they will have censured

Future Continuous
I will be censuring
you will be censuring
he/she/it will be censuring
we will be censuring
you will be censuring
they will be censuring

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been censuring
you have been censuring
he/she/it has been censuring
we have been censuring
you have been censuring
they have been censuring

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been censuring
you will have been censuring
he/she/it will have been censuring
we will have been censuring
you will have been censuring
they will have been censuring

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been censuring
you had been censuring
he/she/it had been censuring
we had been censuring
you had been censuring
they had been censuring

Conditional
I would censure
you would censure
he/she/it would censure
we would censure
you would censure
they would censure

Past Conditional
I would have censured
you would have censured
he/she/it would have censured
we would have censured
you would have censured
they would have censured

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	censure - harsh criticism or disapproval animadversioncondemnation, disapprobation - an expression of strong disapproval; pronouncing as wrong or morally culpable; "his uncompromising condemnation of racism"interdict - an ecclesiastical censure by the Roman Catholic Church withdrawing certain sacraments and Christian burial from a person or all persons in a particular district
	2.	censure - the state of being excommunicated excommunication, exclusionrejection - the state of being rejected
Verb	1.	censure - rebuke formallyreprimand, criminatecriticise, criticize, pick apart, knock - find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws; "The paper criticized the new movie"; "Don't knock the food--it's free"animadvert - express blame or censure or make a harshly critical remark

censure

verb1. criticize, blame, abuse, condemn, carpet (informal), flame (informal), denounce, put down, slate (informal, chiefly U.S.), rebuke, reprimand, reproach, scold, berate, castigate, chide, tear into (informal), diss (slang, chiefly U.S.), blast, read the riot act, reprove, upbraid, slap on the wrist, lambast(e), bawl out (informal), excoriate, rap over the knuckles, chew out (U.S. & Canad. informal), tear (someone) off a strip (Brit. informal), give (someone) a rocket (Brit. & N.Z. informal), reprehend I would not presume to censure him for his views.
criticize applaud, compliment, commend, laud (literary)noun1. disapproval, criticism, blame, condemnation, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, dressing down (informal), stick (slang), stricture, reproof, sideswipe, castigation, obloquy, remonstrance It is a controversial policy which has attracted international censure.
disapproval approval, encouragement, compliment, commendation

censure

nounA comment expressing fault:blame, condemnation, criticism, denunciation, reprehension, reprobation.Informal: pan.Slang: knock.verb1. To find fault with:blame, criticize, fault, rap.Informal: cut up, pan.Slang: knock.2. To feel or express strong disapproval of:condemn, denounce, deplore, reprehend, reprobate.

Translations

指责

censure

(ˈsenʃə) verb to criticize or blame. He was censured for staying away from work.指责 noun criticism or blame. 指责

Censure

A formal, public reprimand for an infraction or violation.

From time to time deliberative bodies are forced to take action against members whose actions or behavior runs counter to the group's acceptable standards for individual behavior. In the U.S. Congress, that action can come in the form of censure. Censure is a formal and public condemnation of an individual's transgressions. It is stronger than a simple rebuke, but not as strong as expulsion. Members of Congress who have been censured are required to give up any committee chairs they hold, but they are not removed from their elected position. Not surprisingly, however, few censured politicians are re-elected.

While censure is not specifically mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the right to adopt resolutions, and a resolution to invoke censure falls into this category. The first use of censure was actually directed not at a member of Congress but at a member of George Washington's cabinet. Alexander Hamilton, Washington's treasury secretary, was accused of mishandling two congressionally authorized loans. Congress voted a censure resolution against Hamilton. The vote fell short, but it established censure as a precedent. In general, each house of Congress is responsible for invoking censure against its own members; censure against other government officials is not common, and censure against the president is rarer still.

Because censure is not specifically mentioned as the accepted form of reprimand, many censure actions against members of Congress may be listed officially as rebuke, condemnation, or denouncement. The end result, however, is the same, and to all intents and purposes these are censure measures. At the same time, each censure case is different, and those delivering censure like to have enough leeway to tailor the level of severity. Still, the prospect of an open, public rebuke by one's peers is painful even for the most thick-skinned politician.

Noteworthy Censure Cases

Among the best known censure cases in Congress were the 1811 censure of Massachusetts senator Timothy Pickering for reading confidential documents in Senate sessions and the 1844 censure of Ohio senator Benjamin Tappan for releasing a confidential document to a major newspaper. Perhaps one of the more colorful censure motions was the 1902 censure of South Carolina's two senators, Benjamin R. Tillman and John L. McLaurin. On February 22, 1902, they began fighting in the Senate chamber. Both men were censured and suspended for six days (retroactively).

Probably the most infamous censure case was the condemnation of Senator joseph r. mccarthy (R-WI) in 1954. McCarthy took the national stage at the height of the anti-Communist movement following World War II. McCarthy spent several years making claims that known Communists had infiltrated the U.S. government, and although he never offered proof of even one claim, his crusade was popular and powerful. Many Americans from all walks of life saw their lives destroyed in the early 1950s by groundless accusations of communist sympathies. His power unchecked, McCarthy became even more relentless, and in 1954 he openly attacked members of the Eisenhower administration in televised hearings. His colleagues realized they had no choice but to act. A censure committee was formed, and McCarthy as much as accused its members of being Communists. The vote to condemn McCarthy passed 65 to 22 on December 2, 1954.

Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) was found guilty in 2002 of taking illegal gifts and cash payments from a businessman and not reporting them. The businessman got help from the senator in Lobbying the government. Although Torricelli denied the charges, his colleagues found the evidence compelling enough to "severely admonish" him. While not called a "censure," this reprimand clearly had the same effect. Torricelli, who was up for reelection, saw his popularity plunge in a matter of weeks, and on September 30, 2002, he withdrew from the race.

Presidential Censure

Congress rarely acts against the president with a formal reprimand. Andrew Jackson was the first president to be thus reprimanded, by the Senate in 1834, after he removed the secretary of the treasury (a responsibility that Congress believed rested with the legislature). Jackson was a Democrat, but the Senate was controlled by the rival Whig Party. Three years later, when the Democrats took control of the Senate, Jackson's censure was expunged from the records.

President John Tyler was reprimanded in 1842 by the House of Representatives, which accused him of abusing his powers. Apparently Tyler had promised representatives on several occasions that he would support certain bills, only to Veto them when they arrived at his desk. In 1848, President james k. polk was reprimanded by the House for starting the Mexican War without first obtaining Congressional approval. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln and his secretary of war, edwin stanton, were condemned by the Senate for allowing an elected member of the House to hold commissions in the Army. The Senate voted for the reprimand 24 to 12, but it was referred to a special committee and no further action was taken.

In 1998, during the Impeachment trial of President bill clinton, several members of Congress attempted to have him censured instead, believing that while his behavior warranted rebuke it did not merit a full impeachment. The move for censure failed, and Clinton was impeached.

Cross-references

Congress of the United States; Impeachment.

censure

censure

cen·sure

censure

cen•sure

censure

censure

censure

censure

censure

censure (one)

censure (one) for (something)

censure someone (for something)

Censure

Censure

Noteworthy Censure Cases

Presidential Censure

Further readings

Cross-references

censure

Synonyms for censure

verb criticize

Synonyms

Antonyms

noun disapproval

Synonyms

Antonyms

Synonyms for censure

noun a comment expressing fault

Synonyms

verb to find fault with

Synonyms

verb to feel or express strong disapproval of

Synonyms

Synonyms for censure

noun harsh criticism or disapproval

Synonyms

Related Words

noun the state of being excommunicated

Synonyms

Related Words

verb rebuke formally

Synonyms

Related Words