Also 4–7 sensure, 5 sensour, 6 censoure, censer. [a. F. censure, ad. L. censūra (so in It., Pr., Sp., Pg.) censorship, judgment, f. cens- ppl. stem of censē-re.]
† 1. A judicial sentence; esp. a condemnatory judgment. Obs.
c. 1470. Harding, Chron. clxiii. iii. He should it haue by execucion due, By sensours of theyr churche and hole sentence.
1547–64. Bauldwin, Mor. Philos. iii. (Palfr.), 6. According to the infallible censure of God.
1637. Laud (title), Speech in the Starr-Chamber at the Censure of Bastwick, Burton and Prinn.
1647. May, Hist. Parl., II. vi. 115. He was brought … to the House of Lords, to receive his Censure.
1712. Bp. T. Wilson, in Keble, Life, ix. (1863), 295. A person … is ordered to be dragged after a boat at Douglas … and the Governor is desired to give his order for soldiers and a boat to execute this censure.
1727. Swift, Gulliver, I. vii. 82. The council thought the loss of your eyes too easy a censure.
b. spec. ‘A spiritual punishment inflicted by some ecclesiastical judge.’ Ayliffe. (The earliest recorded sense.)
138[?]. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 361. Censures þat þe fend blowiþ, as ben suspendingis, enterditingis, cursingis, and reisingis of croiserie.
1494. Fabyan, VI. clxvi. 161. He purchasyd agayne hym the censures of holy churche, & accursed the sayde Bawdewyn.
a. 1694. Tillotson, Serm., xxv. Wks. 1696, 282 (R.). The publick Censures of the Church.
1726. Ayliffe, Parerg., 155.
1845. Graves, in Encycl. Metrop., 784/1. The deprivation of spiritual advantages, and the censures of the Church.
† 2. A formal judgment or opinion (of an expert, referee, etc.). Obs.
c. 1555. Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (1878), 81. Reasons … to underprop … the Censures … of the said universities.
1625. Ussher, Answ. Jesuit, 305. The Interlinearie Bible approued by the Censure of the Vniversitie of Louain.
† 3. gen. Judgment; opinion, esp. expressed opinion; criticism. Obs. or arch.
1576. Raleigh, Pref. Verses Gascoigne’s Steel Gl. Wherefore to write, my censure of this booke.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., II. ii. 144. Will you go To giue your censures in this businesse.
c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, XIII. 655. But, for me, I’ll relate Only my censure what’s our best.
1624. Heywood, Gunaik., V. 251. Giue me thy free and true censure.
1649. Bp. Hall, Cases Consc., Pref. Though unworthy to pass my censure on such a subject.
1715–20. Pope, Iliad, III. 288. Our ears refute the censure of our eyes.
1805. Foster, Ess., ii. iv. 164. The collective censure of mankind.
4. spec. An adverse judgment, unfavorable opinion, hostile criticism; blaming, finding fault with, or condemning as wrong; expression of disapproval or condemnation. (The usual sense.)
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., III. ii. 197. No might nor greatnesse in mortality can censure scape.
1606–33. Bp. Hall, Occas. Medit. (1851), 15. They, that, upon the hearing of one part, rashly pass their sentence, whether of acquittal or censure.
1702. Eng. Theophrast., 23. An author ought to receive with an equal modesty both the Praise and censure of other People.
1713. Swift, On Himself. Vices of the graver sort, Tobacco, censure … pride and port.
1748. Anson, Voy., II. x. (ed. 4), 334. The whole conduct of this navigation seems liable to very great censure.
1844. Emerson, Lect. Yng. Amer., Wks. (Bohn), II. 306. Our sensitiveness to foreign and especially English censure.
5. Censorship; the office or action of a censor. a. Of the ancient Roman censors (= L. censūra): also concr. (obs.).
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), C iij. The Censure, whoe gouerned Rome.
1598. Barkcley, Felic. Man (1631), 609. Plinie said to his master Trajan, the life of a Prince is a censure, that is to say, the rule, the square, the line, and the forme of an honest life.
1862. Merivale, Rom. Emp. (1865), IV. xxxiii. 86. The censure of Camillus … was celebrated. Ibid., xxxv. 200. The censure or prefecture of manners.
b. Of any official supervisor, e.g., of the censor of the press.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, 48. The Clarke of the works, ought to be subject to the censure of the Surveyor.
1887. Pall Mall Gaz., 15 Nov., 14/1. It is possible (but not easy) to get one’s papers sent on without censure.
6. Correction; esp. critical recension or revision of a literary work. rare.
1613. R. C., Table Alph. (ed. 3), Censure, correction, or reformation.
1837–8. Hallam, Hist. Lit. (1855), I. 386. So arduous a task as the thorough censure of the Vulgate text.
† 7. An assessment, a tax. Obs. (Cf. CENSE sb.2)
1641. Sched. Grievances, in Rushw., Hist. Coll., III. (1692), I. 221. By reason … of extream Usage and Censures, Merchants are beggar’d.
b. (See quot.) ? Obs.
a. 1547. Cust. Majors Braunton (MS. penes R. Dymond, Esq.), Tenants having ther chyldern in howshold with theym under their governaunce and charge not to be presented for a Censur tyll tyme that they do be of full age by statute and put owte in huys from theem for wagys or otherwise to be maried then after that they be presented for censur.
1691–1713. Blount, Law Dict.
1729–62. G. Jacob, Law Dict., Censure, a custom called by this name, observed in divers manors in Cornwall and Devon, where all persons residing therein above the age of sixteen are cited to swear fealty to the lord, and to pay iid. per poll, and id. per ann. ever after; and these thus sworn are called censers.
1768. E. Buys, Dict. Terms of Art.
1797–. Tomlins, Law Dict.
