Part 135

Cense (?), n. [OF. cense, F. cens, L. census. See Census.] 1. A census; -- also, a public rate or tax. [Obs.] Howell. Bacon.

2. Condition; rank. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Cense, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Censed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Censing.] [Abbrev. from incense.] To perfume with odors from burning gums and spices.

The Salii sing and cense his altars round. Dryden.

Cense, v. i. To burn or scatter incense.

Cen"ser (?), n. [For incenser, fr. OF. encensier, F. encensoir, fr. LL. incensarium, incensorium, fr. L. incensum incense. See Incense, and cf. Incensory.] A vessel for perfumes; esp. one in which incense is burned.

&fist; The ecclesiastical censer is usually cup-shaped, has a cover pierced with holes, and is hung by chains. The censer bearer swings it to quicken the combustion.

Her thoughts are like the fume of frankincense Which from a golden censer forth doth rise. Spenser.

Cen"sor (?), n. [L. censor, fr. censere to value, tax.] 1. (Antiq.) One of two magistrates of Rome who took a register of the number and property of citizens, and who also exercised the office of inspector of morals and conduct.

2. One who is empowered to examine manuscripts before they are committed to the press, and to forbid their publication if they contain anything obnoxious; -- an official in some European countries.

3. One given to fault-finding; a censurer.

Nor can the most circumspect attention, or steady rectitude, escape blame from censors who have no inclination to approve. Rambler.

4. A critic; a reviewer.

Received with caution by the censors of the press. W. Irving.

Cen*so"ri*al (?), a. 1. Belonging to a censor, or to the correction of public morals. Junius.

2. Full of censure; censorious.

The censorial declamation of Juvenal. T. Warton.

Cen*so"ri*an (?), a. Censorial. [R.] Bacon.

Cen*so"ri*ous (?), a. [L. censorius pertaining to the censor. See Censor.] 1. Addicted to censure; apt to blame or condemn; severe in making remarks on others, or on their writings or manners.

A dogmatical spirit inclines a man to be consorious of his neighbors. Watts.

2. Implying or expressing censure; as, censorious remarks.

Syn. -- Fault-finding; carping; caviling; captious; severe; condemnatory; hypercritical.

-- Cen*so"ri*ous*ly, adv. -- Cen*so"ri*ous*ness, n.

Cen"sor*ship (?), n. The office or power of a censor; as, to stand for a censorship. Holland.

The press was not indeed at that moment under a general censorship. Macaulay.

Cen"su*al (?), a. [L. censualis, fr. census.] Relating to, or containing, a census.

He caused the whole realm to be described in a censual roll. Sir R. Baker.

Cen"sur*a*ble (?), a. Deserving of censure; blamable; culpable; reprehensible; as, a censurable person, or censurable conduct.