blue pencil
Strike out passages
Blue pencil refers to editing or censoring, from the traditional use of blue pencils by editors to mark corrections and deletions on manuscripts.
As a verb, to blue-pencil something is to edit or censor it: The studio blue-penciled several scenes before release.
The term often implies cutting content deemed objectionable rather than mere correction.
- bowdlerizationSanitizing offensive literary content
- redactionObscuring sensitive text
- expurgationRemoval of offensive content
- red inkSymbol for financial loss
- proofreadingChecking text for mistakes
censor · copyediting · track changes · redlining · strike through · blackout · press freedom · suppression · embargo · copy desk · galley · gatekeeping · subeditor · annotating · revising · prohibition · critiquing · restriction
- editingediting, cut, copy, paste, delete
- pencils
- editing marksred pen, strikethrough, cross out, caret, stet
- art suppliesbrush, paints, easel, eraser, canvas
- deletiondelete, erase, erasure, cross out, strike out
- eraserseraser, kneaded eraser, gum eraser, ink eraser
blue, pencil, blues, pencils, blue-pencil, colored pencil, penciled, penciling, penciler