The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Bowdlerize \Bowd"ler*ize\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bowdlerized; p.
   pr. & vb. n. Bowdlerizing.] [After Dr. Thomas Bowdler, an
   English physician, who published an expurgated edition of
   Shakespeare in 1818.]
   To expurgate, as a book, by omitting or modifying the parts
   considered offensive; to remove morally objectionable parts;
   -- said of literary texts.

   Syn: bowdlerise, expurgate, shorten, cut.
        [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]

              It is a grave defect in the splendid tale of Tom
              Jones . . . that a Bowdlerized version of it would
              be hardly intelligible as a tale.   --F. Harrison.
        [1913 Webster] -- Bowd`ler*i*za"tion, n. --
        Bowd"ler*ism, n.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]