critic 
Joscphus Scalier, a ^reat 'ViViVA-, ami reputed one of 
the greatest Linguists in the world. 
I'urfhiii, rilgriunige, p. -.Mil. 
It will lie a i [lies! ion a y friti'jlti - in the alies to come. 
lip. ;/' l.utfi'ln. Serin. -n at Funeral of .lames I. 
"To-morrow," he said, "the rririra ill eo icnce. Yon 
know who the rrilint are? The men who have failed in 
literature and art." /i, ,,/,, l.othair, xxxv. 
2. One who judges captiously or with severity; 
one who censures or finds fault ; a carper. 
When mi author has many beauties , ..n <Mcnt with 
virtue, piety, and truth, let not little nitift exalt them- 
selves, ami shower down their ill-nature. . 
H'nltt, Improvement of Mind, v. 
3. The art or science of criticism. 
If ideas and words were distinctly weighed, and duly 
considered, they would alt'ord us another sort of logic and 
flrftta Locke. 
Kant had Introduced Critic, name and thing ; it was a 
branch of analysis, like Logic, but having for its special 
purpose to determine the adequacy of the Reason to its 
problems, its power to perform what it spontaneously un- 
dertook, llutli/siiit, Philosophy of Reflection, Pref., p. 17. 
4f. An act of criticism ; a critique. 
A severe critiek is the greatest help to a good wit. 
Dryden, Defence of Kpilogue, Conquest of Granada, il. 
But you with pleasure own your errors past, 
And make each day a critic on the last. 
/'"/w. Essay on Criticism, 1. 571. 
= Syn. 1 ami 2. Judge, censor, connoisseur ; censurer. 
n. a. Of or pertaining to critics or criticism. 
Alone he stemmed the mighty critic flood. 
Churchill, Root-lad. 
Critic learning flourish'd most in France. 
Pope, Essay on Criticism, 1. 712. 
critict (krit'ik), v. i. [= F. critiquer, criticize ; 
from the noun.] To criticize; play the critic. 
Nay, if you begin to critiek once, we shall never have 
done. A. Breicer('!\ Lingua, v. 9. 
They do but trace over the paths that have been beaten 
by the antieuts ; or comment, critiek, and flourish upon 
them. Sir W. Temptf. 
critical (krit'i-kal), a. [As critic + -al] 1. 
Involving judgment as to the truth or merit of 
something; judicial, especially in respect to lit- 
erary or artistic works; belonging to the art 
of a critic ; relating to criticism ; exercised in 
criticism. 
Critical skill, applied to the investigation of an author's 
text, was the function of the human mind as unknown in 
the Greece of Lycurgus as in the Germany of Tacitus, or 
the Tongataboo of Captain Cook. Dr tjutncey, Homer, i. 
A critical Instinct so insatiable that it must turn upon 
Itself, for lack of something else to hew and hack, becomes 
incapable at last of originating anything but indecision. 
Louvll, Among my Books, 1st ser., p. 215. 
Ancient History exercises the critical faculty in a com- 
paratively narrow and exhausted field. 
Stubbs, Medieval and Modem Hist., p. 96. 
2. Having the knowledge, ability, or discern- 
ment to pass accurate judgment, especially 
upon literary and artistic matters. 
It is submitted to the judgment of more critical ears to 
direct and determine what is graceful and what is not. 
UMer. 
3. Inclined to make nice distinctions ; careful 
in selection ; nicely judicious ; exact ; fastidi- 
ous ; precise. 
Virgil was socritical in the rites of religion, that he would 
never have brought in such prayers as these, if they had 
not been agreeable to the Roman customs. Stillingjleet. 
4. Inclined to find fault or to judge with sever- 
ity ; given to censuring. 
I am nothing if uot critical. 
Shak., Othello, II. 1. 
5. Of the nature of a crisis in affairs ; decisive ; 
important as regards consequences: as, a criti- 
cal juncture. 
The sessions day is critical to thieves. 
Marlowe, Jew of .Malta, ii. i 
Every step you take is decisive every action you per- 
form is critical every idea you form is likely to become 
a principle, influencing your future destiny. Fletcher. 
It is, I think, an observation of St. Augustine, that those 
periods are critical and formidable when the power of put- 
ting questions runs greatly in advance of the pains to an- 
swer them. <';!,/. !.. Might of Right, p. 98. 
6. In med., pertaining to the crisis or turning- 
point of a disease. 
A common critical phenomenon is a prolonged, sound; 
and refreshing sleep. Med. Diet., p. 819. 
7. Formed, situated, or tending to determine 
or decide ; important or essential for determin- 
ing: as, critical evidence ; a critical post. 8. 
Being in a condition of extreme doubt or dan- 
ger; attended with peril or risk; dangerous; 
hazardous : as, a critical undertaking. 
Our circumstances are indeed fftf >,;>!: l.ut then they 
are the ci-itinil circumstance" of a strong and mighty na- 
tion. ISurk, . Late State of the Nation. 
At all the different periods at which his (the Duke of 
York's] state was critical, it was always made known to 
1 :;:,.-, 
him, and lie leeeil. d the intimation with invalial.i 
newamli POMIIV. ',....'/., M.m>.ii-, Jan. 
9. Ill ninth., rcliititif,' tu the i lescence of dif- 
ferent values. 10. Distinguished by minute or 
obscure differences: as, i-rilii-nl species in liol- 
any. Critical angle, sec '//:> ami Criti- 
cal function, u sy in metric function "I 1 In .tilt. i. i 
the i..ts of a qiiantic. Critical philosophy, the philo- 
sophlcal system of Iliimami'l Kant <17^1 l-<o): so called 
from the fact that It was based upon a critical i \aminat ion 
of the cognitive faculties, with especial reference to the 
limits of knowledge concerning the objects of met:.: 
cal speculation. Kant s xeniral i elusion was that m> i i 
physics as a dogmntic science is im|>os.silde ; but that the 
Ideas of (iod, free will, etc., are valid from a practical 
(that Is, ethical) point of view. His most Important doc- 
trines are that space and time are merely a priori forms 
of sense, and the categories (causality, etc.) a priori forms 
of the understanding. His principal works arc " Criticism 
of the Pure Reason" (1781), "Criticism of the Practical 
Reason " (1788), and " Criticism of the Judgment" (17o). 
8ev category, a priori, and Kanii<m. Critical point, (a) 
A point ill the plane of Imaginary quantity at which two 
values of a function become equal ; a point of ramincation. 
(fc) In vhyric*, the temperature fixed for a given gas, above 
which It Is believed that no amount of pressure can reduce 
It to the liquid form: thus, for carlwn dioxid (CO.,i the 
critical point is alnmt SI' C. At this point the substance 
Is said to lie In a critical mate. Critical suspension of 
judgment, a refraining from forming an opinion, with a 
view U> further examination of the evidence : opposed to 
skeptical sunpeivrioii of judgment, which is accompanied 
with no intention of ever coming to a conclusion. = Syn. 
3. Nice, accurate, discriminating. 4. Captious, faultfind- 
ing, canting, caviling, censorious, 
criticality (krit-i-kal'i-ti), n. f< critical + 
-ity.] 1. The quality of being critical. 
Nor does Dr. Bastian's chemical criticality seem to be of 
a more susceptible kind. 
Huxley, quoted in New York Independent, Nov. 10, 1870. 
2. A critical idea or observation. [Rare.] 
I shall leave this place in about a fortnight, and within 
that time hope to despatch you a packet with my cn'ticali- 
tiet entire. tiratj, Letters, I. 299. 
critically (krit'i-kal-i), adv. 1. In a critical 
manner; with just discernment of truth or 
falsehood, propriety or impropriety ; with nice 
scrutiny; accurately; exactly. 
For to understand critically the delicacies of Horace is 
a height to which few of our noblemen have arrived. 
Oryden, Ded. of Cleomenes. 
2. At the crisis; opportunely; in the nick of time. 
Coming critically the night before the session. Duncl. 
I have just received my new scarf from London, and you 
are most critically come to give me your Opinion of It. 
Cither, Careless Husband, II. 1. 
3. Iii a critical situation, place, or condition ; 
so as to command the crisis. 
criticalness (krit'i-kal-nes), . 1. The state 
of being critical or opportune; incidence at a 
particular point of time. 2. Exactness ; ac- 
curacy ; nicety; minute care in examination. 
criticaster (krit'i-kas-ter), n. [= Sp. criticastro 
= D. G. kritikaster, < NL. 'criticaster, < L. ariti- 
cus, a critic, + dim. -aster.] An inferior or in- 
competent critic ; a petty censurer. 
The criticaster, having looked for a given expression in 
his dictionary, but without finding It there, or even with 
out this preliminary toil, conceives it to be novel, unau- 
thorized, contrary to analogy, vulgar, superfluous, or what 
not. F. Halt, False Phtlol., p. 1. 
criticisable, criticise, etc. See criticizable, etc. 
criticism (krit'i-sizm), n. [= F. criticisme = Sp. 
It. criticismo; as critic + -itua. Cf. criticize.] 
1. The art of judging of and defining the quali- 
ties or merits of a thing, especially of a literary 
or artistic work: as, the rules of criticism. 
In the first place, I must take leave to tell them that 
they wholly mistake the nature of crilicitnn who think its 
business Is principally to find fault. Criticism, as it was 
first instituted by Aristotle, was meant a standard of judg- 
ing well ; the chiefest part of which is. to observe those ex- 
cellencies which should delight a reasonable reader. 
Dryden, State of Innocence, Pref. 
Fixed principles in critirium are useful in helping us U> 
form a judgment of works already produced, but ft Is 
<iuestinnalile whether they are not rathera hindrance than 
a help to living production. 
LoiKll, Among my Books, 1st ser., p. 341. 
2. The act of criticizing ; discrimination or dis- 
cussion of merit, character, or quality; the ex- 
ercise or application of critical judgment. 
Criticism without accurate science of the thing criti 
cised can indeed have no other value than may belong to 
the genuine record of a spontaneous impression. 
Swinburne, Shakespeare, p. 8. 
He has to point out that Spinoza omits altogether criti- 
cism of the notion of mutual determination that U to 
say, omita to examine the nature and validity of the no- 
tion for our thinking. Atlamtttm, Fichte, p. 183. 
The habit of unrestrained discussion on one class of sub- 
jects hecets a similar haliit of discussion on others, anil 
hence "lie indis|iens:ilile condition of attaining any high 
excellence in art is satitlcd. namely, free criticism. 
t'mrl-f. Sliaftcsliiny and llmcheson, p. 133. 
3. In a restricted sense, inquiry into the origin, 
history, authenticity, character, etc., of literary 
croak 
documents. lli:,l,:r ,,iti,-i.,i, i-oneein.s wilting* as a 
u hole ; /..-/., . i n^ the integrity or character 
of particular parts or passage*. 
iinc liianeh of thi- roiii|irrliriilve inquiry (tliK relation 
nee t" tin- l.i I ..... of 
Ih. in bin. aiithonhip, and mi-aiiing of the e\eral iKi-.ks 
of the I'.ilde, and ot ii,, , i , -dibiliiy of the history which it 
.oiuains. (,'. /. /,,/,, licum. of Christianity, p. tt. 
4. A critical judgment: especially, a detailed 
critical examination or disquisition; a critique. 
Then- is not a (ireek or Latin eritle who has not shewn, 
even in the style of his criticinit*, that he was a master 
... of Ills native tongue. .l.(./i..;i, .spectator, No. 291. 
6. The critical or Kantian philosophy (which 
see, under critical). External criticism, the ex- 
amination of particular passages in a writing, with a view 
to the correction of the text Higher Criticism, lower 
criticism, see alwve, 8. 
criticist (krit'i-sist), n. [< critic + -int.] An 
adherent of the critical philosophy of Kant. 
See critical ]>hiloxi>i>hy, under critii-nl. 
criticizable, criticisable (krit'i-si-za-bl), a. 
Capable of being criticized. 
Criticize, criticise (krit'i-siz), r.; pret. and pp. 
i-i-itii-i:nl, i-ritii-ixt-il. (>pr. criticizing, critifimng. 
[The form criticise is more common even in the 
United States than critid:e, which is, however, 
the proper analogical spelling, the word being 
formed directly < critic + -izc.] I. trans. 1. 
To examine or judge critically ; utter or write 
criticisms upon ; pass judgment upon with re- 
spect to merit or demerit; animadvert upon ; 
discover and weigh the faults and merits of: 
as, to criticize a painting; to criticize a poem; 
to criticize conduct. 
Happy work ! 
Which not e'en critics critieite. 
Cotcper, Task, iv. 51. 
Specifically 2. To censure; judge with sever- 
ity ; point out defects or faults in. 
Nor shall I look UJK>II It as any breach of charity to 
f fit if if the author, so long as I keep clear of the person. 
Addition, Spectator, No. 262. 
II. intrans. 1. To act as a critic; judge of 
anything critically ; utter or write critical opin- 
ions. 
Cavil you may, but never criticise. 
Pope, Kssay on Criticism, 1. 123. 
2. To animadvert ; express opinions as to par- 
ticular points : followed by on. [Rare.] 
Nor would I have his father look so narrowly into these 
accounts as to take occasion from thence to criticise OH 
his expenses. Locke. 
criticiaer, criticiser (krit'i-si-zer), . One who 
criticizes; a critic. [Rare.] 
Others took upon them to be pert critici&rs and saucy 
correctors of the original In-fore them. 
Blackball, Sacred Classicks, II. 205. 
critickr, An obsolete spelling of critic. 
critickin (krit'ik-kin), n. [< critic + dim. -kin.] 
A petty critic; a criticaster. [Rare.] 
Critics, critickins, and criticasters (for these are of all 
degrees). Southey, The Doctor, Interchapter xlx. 
criticule (krit'i-kul), n. [< critic + dim. -u/e.] 
A criticaster; a petty critic. [Rare.] 
critique (kri-tek'), n. [< F. critique = Sp. cri- 
tica = Pg. It. critica, < NL. critica, n., critique, 
prop. fern, of critieus, critical: see critic.] 1. 
A critical examination or review of the merits 
of something, especially of a literary or artistic 
work; a critical examination of any subject: 
as, Addison's critique on " Paradise Lost." 2. 
The art or practice of criticism ; the standard 
or the rules of critical judgment: as, Kant's 
" Critique of the Pure Reason." Also critic. 
[Rare.] 3f. An obsolete spelling of critic, 1 
and 2. 
critizet (krit'iz), r. To criticize. Donne. 
Crittenden compromise. See compromise. 
crizzle (kriz'l), r. i. ; pret. and pp. cri;;lt-ft, ppr. 
crizzlini/. [Formerly crislv ; a corruption of 
crisple, q. v.] To become wrinkled or rough 
on the surface, as glass, the skin, etc. 
I begin 
To feel the ice fall from the crisled skin. 
Ford, Sun s Darling, v. 1. 
crizzle (kriz'l), n. [< crizzle, r.] A roughness 
on the surface of glass which clouds its trans- 
parency. Als' 
Grizzling (kriz'ling), . Same as crizzle. Also 
crot, [Gael. Ir. cro, blood, death.] In old 
.s', -,,/,< lair, the satisfaction or compensation for 
the slaughter of a man. according to his rank. 
croak (krok), r. [< ME. *</"/.<. <;// (also 
as repr. bv <-r<ik< 1 and crake-, q. v. ), < AS. cracet- 
tan, croak (> verbal n. crcecetung, croaking, 
of ravens); prop, cracettan (with short a), < 
