envowel

Definitions

to replace a portion of a person's name with a dash in printing, in order to avoid libel.

dated, humorous, rare, transitive

Examples

“In this dress I intend⟳ to abuse the *** and the ***; I intend⟳ to lash not only the m―stry, but every man who hath any p―ce or p―ns―n from the g―vernm―t, or who is entrusted with any degree of power or trust⟳ under it, let⟳ his r―nk be ever so high, his f―rt―ne never so great, or his ch―r―cter never good. For this purpose I have⟳ provided myself with a quantity of Italian letter, and asterisks of all sorts. And as for all the words which I embowel, or rather envowel, I will never so mangle them but they shall be as well-known as if they retained every vowel in them. This I promise⟳ myself, that when I have⟳ any meaning they shall understand⟳ it.”

CEFR level