blue pencil

verb (used with object), blue-pen·ciled, blue-pen·cil·ing or (especially British) blue-pen·cilled, blue-pen·cil·ling.

1. to alter, abridge, or cancel with or as with a pencil that has blue lead, as in editing a manuscript.

noun

1. deletion, alteration, or censorship of the contents of a book or other work

verb blue-pencil -cils, -cilling or -cilled or US -cils, -ciling or -ciled

2. (tr) to alter or delete parts of (a book, film, etc), esp to censor