censure

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)The act of blaming, criticizing, or condemning as wrong; reprehension.

   “Censure, which arraigns the public actions and the private motives of princes, has ascribed to envy, a conduct which might be attributed to the prudence and moderation of Hadrian.”

   “Both the censure and the praise were merited.”

2. (countable, uncountable)Official reprimand.

   “After his actions were challenged by foreign governments and Parliament initially tried to put a stop to his action, Denman returned home and argued his case with enough force that, by 1848, the Royal Navy was handed active permission and encouragement to raze every last slave factory they could find to the ground, and full authority to stop any ship, of any flag, that was thought to be a slaver, with a guarantee with^([sic]) no censure from the government.”

3. (countable, uncountable)A judicial or ecclesiastical sentence or reprimand; condemnatory judgment.

   “He that hath past / So many Cenſures is novv come at laſt / To haue your princely Eares, grace you him; […]”

   “[E]xcommunication […] being the chief ecclesiastical censure”

4. (countable, obsolete, uncountable)A judgment (either favorable or unfavorable); an opinion.

   “Take each man's cenſure, but reſerve thy judgment.”

verb

1. (transitive)To criticize harshly.

   “I may be censured that nature thus gives way to loyalty.”

   “The Woodwalton signalman, Rose, who was severely censured in Captain Tyler's report, behaved with great negligence.”

   “Cultural norms and social rules regulate whether someone can be among others or will be isolated, whether the sick will be considered foul or acceptable, and whether they are to be pitied or censured.”

2. (transitive)To formally rebuke.

   “The US House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to censure Rep. Adam Schiff, a key lawmaker in Democrats’ congressional investigations into former President Donald Trump during his presidency.”

3. (obsolete, transitive)To form or express a judgment in regard to; to estimate; to judge.

   “Should I say more, you might well censure me a flatterer.”