crit·i·cal   (krĭt'ĭ-kəl)    adj.   Inclined to judge severely and find fault. Characterized by careful, exact evaluation and judgment: a critical reading. Of, relating to, or characteristic of critics or criticism: critical acclaim; a critical analysis of Melville's writings. Forming or having the nature of a turning point; crucial or decisive: a critical point in the campaign. Of or relating to a medical crisis: an illness at the critical stage. Being or relating to a grave physical condition especially of a patient. Indispensable; essential: a critical element of the plan; a second income that is critical to the family's well-being. Being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency: a critical shortage of food. Fraught with danger or risk; perilous. Mathematics Of or relating to a point at which a curve has a horizontal tangent line, as at a maximum or minimum. Chemistry & Physics Of or relating to the value of a measurement, such as temperature, at which an abrupt change in a quality, property, or state occurs: A critical temperature of water is 100°C, its boiling point at standard atmospheric pressure. Physics Capable of sustaining a nuclear chain reaction. crit'i·cal·ly adv., crit'i·cal·ness n.

Critical

Crit"ic*al\ (kr?t"?-kal), a. [See Critic, n., 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. --Shak.

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."

Critical point (Physics), a certain temperature, different for different gases, but always the same for each gas, regarded as the limit above which no amount of pressure can produce condensation to a liquid.

Main Entry: crit·i·cal
Pronunciation: 'krit-i-k&l
Function: adjective
1 a : relating to, indicating, or being the stage of adisease at which an abrupt change for better or worse may be anticipated with reasonable certainty critical phase of a fever> b : being or relating to an illness orcondition involving danger of death <critical care> critical head injury>
2 a : of sufficient size to sustain a chain reaction —used of a mass offissionable material b : sustaining a chain reaction —used of a nuclear reactor —crit·i·cal·ly /-k(&-)lE/ adverb

critical crit·i·cal (krĭt'ĭ-kəl)
adj.

1. Of or relating to a medical crisis.
2. Being or relating to a grave physical condition especially of a patient.
3. Of or relating to the value of a measurement, such as temperature, at which an abrupt change in a chemical of physical quality, property, or state occurs.