[f. L. castrāt- ppl. stem of castrāre to castrate, prune, expurgate, deprive of vigor, etc.: see -ATE3.]
1. trans. To remove the testicles of; to geld, emasculate.
1613. [see CASTRATED].
1633. Bp. Morton, Disch. 5 Imputations, 138–9 (T.). As Origen did, when having read that Scripture, There be some that castrate themselves for the Kingdome of God (which was but a Parabolicall speech) he did really, and therefore foolishly castrate himself.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 113. To eunuchate or castrate themselves.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., II. 90, note. The Sarmatian horses were castrated, to prevent the mischievous accidents which might happen from the noisy and ungovernable passions of the males.
1831. Youatt, Horse, ii. (1847), 19. The Barb.—They are never castrated, for a Mussulman would not mutilate … the beast of the Prophet.
b. Bot. To remove the anthers (or the pistil) of (a flower) before fecundation. (Syd. Soc. Lex.)
1859. Darwin, Orig. Spec., ix. (1873), 236. A plant, to be hybridised, must be castrated.
† 2. Gardening. To prune, remove superfluous suckers from. Obs.
1658. Evelyn, Fr. Gard. (1675), 255. When your strawberries shoot their strings, you must castrate them.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Castrating … in speaking of melons and cucumbers … signifies the same with pruning or pinching.
† 3. transf. and fig. To deprive of vigor, force or vitality; to mortify. Obs.
1554. T. Martin, Marriage of Priestes, Y i b (T.). Ye castrate the desires of the flesh.
a. 1670. Hacket, Abp. Williams, II. (1692), 181. Every subsequent Action of that Parliament did castrate their Hope.
1670. W. Simpson, Hydrol. Ess., 122–3. They [mineral waters] do not … sooner precipitate an Ocre to the bottom, nor sooner become castrated thereby.
† b. To mutilate, ‘cut down.’ Obs.
1728. Morgan, Algiers, I. iii. 56. The noble Kingdom of Numidia was so castrated, that it dwindled away to the Eastern Province of the Algerines.
4. To mutilate (a book, etc.) by removing a sheet or portion of it; esp. to remove obscene or objectionable passages from; to expurgate.
1627. Lett., in Crt. & Times Chas. I. (1848), I. 295. An Oxford man … had his sermon perused and castrated before he came there.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 179, ¶ 5. The following letter, which I have castrated in some places.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Castrating a book.
1753. Warburton, Lett. Late Prelate (1809), 136. The letter … is castrated of one of its most curious anecdotes.
1791. Boswell, Johnson (1816), III. 210. Talking of Rochester’s Poems, he said, he had given them to Mr. Steevens to castrate for the edition of the poets.
1816. Southey, Lett. (1856), III. 33. Gifford is at his old work of castrating my reviews.
1873. Symonds, Grk. Poets, xi. 344. He [the monk Planudes] amended, castrated … and remodelled [the Greek Anthology of Cephalas].
Hence Castrated ppl. a. (in lit. and fig. senses).
1613. R. C., Table Alph. (ed. 3), Castrated, gelded, diminished.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 124. Castrated animals … are longer lived.
1791–1824. D’Israeli, Cur. Lit., Bible prohib. This castrated copy of the Bible.
1828. Southey, Ess. (1832), II. 417. The preamble to the castrated oath.
1871. Darwin, Desc. Man, II. xvii. 247. The horns are not developed … in the castrated male.
