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Webster 1913 Edition

Critical

Crit′ic-al

(krĭt′ĭ-kal)
,
Adj.
[See
Critic
,
Noun.
,
Crisis
.]
1.
Qualified to criticise, or pass judgment upon, literary or artistic productions.
It is submitted to the judgment of more
critical
ears to direct and determine what is graceful and what is not.
Holder.
2.
Pertaining to criticism or the critic’s art; of the nature of a criticism; accurate;
as,
critical
knowledge; a
critical
dissertation
.
3.
Inclined to make nice distinctions, or to exercise careful judgment and selection; exact; nicely judicious.
Virgil was so
critical
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.
Bp. Stillingfleet.
4.
Inclined to criticise or find fault; fastidious; captious; censorious; exacting.
O gentle lady, do not put me to 't,
For I am nothing, if not
critical
.
Shakespeare
5.
Characterized by thoroughness and a reference to principles, as becomes a critic;
as, a
critical
analysis of a subject
.
6.
[See
Crisis
.]
Pertaining to, or indicating, a crisis, turning point, or specially important juncture; important as regards consequences; hence, of doubtful issue; attended with risk; dangerous;
as, the
critical
stage of a fever; a
critical
situation
.
Our circumstances are indeed
critical
.
Burke.
The small moment, the exact point, the
critical
minute, on which every good work so much depends.
South.
Critical angle
(Optics)
,
that angle of incidence of a luminous ray at which it is wholly reflected, and no portion of it transmitted. The sine of this angle is the reciprocal of the refractive index of the medium.
–
Critical philosophy
,
the metaphysical system of Kant; – so called from his most important work, the “Critique of Pure Reason.”

Webster 1828 Edition

Critical

CRITICAL

,
Adj.
[L. Gr. See Critic.]
1.
Relating to criticism; nicely exact; as a critical dissertation on Homer.
2.
Having the skill or power nicely to distinguish beauties from blemishes; a a critical judge; a critical auditor; a critical ear; critical taste.
3.
Making nice distinctions; accurate; as critical rules.
4.
Capable of judging with accuracy; discerning beauties and faults; nicely judicious in matters of literature and the fine arts; as, Virgil was a critical poet.
5.
Capable of judging with accuracy; conforming to exact rules of propriety; exact; particular; as, to be critical in rites and ceremonies, or in the selection of books.
6.
Inclined to find fault, or to judge with severity.
7.
[See Crisis.] Pertaining to a crisis; marking the time or state of a disease which indicates its termination in the death or recovery of the patient; as critical days, or critical symptoms.
8.
Producing a crisis or change in a disease; indicating a crisis; as a critical sweat.
9.
Decisive; noting a time or state on which the issue of things depends; important, as regards the consequences; as a critical time or moment; a critical juncture.
10.
Formed or situated to determine or decide, or having the crisis at command; important or essential for determining; as a critical post.

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