splat out

v. [Usenet; syn. disemvowel ] To partially obscure a potentially provocative
word by substituting splat characters for some of its letters (usually, but
not always, the vowels). The purpose is not to make the word unrecognizable
but to make it a mention rather than a use, so that no flamewar ensues.
Words often splatted out include N*z* (see Godwin's Law ), k*bo* (see KIBO ,
sense 2), *v*l*t**n (anywhere fundamentalists might be lurking), *b*rt**n,
and g*n c*ntr*l. Compare UN*X.

