a. [ See Critic, n., Crisis. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Qualified to criticise, or pass judgment upon, literary or artistic productions. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is submitted to the judgment of more critical ears to direct and determine what is graceful and what is not. Holder. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pertaining to criticism or the critic's art; of the nature of a criticism; accurate; as, critical knowledge; a critical dissertation. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Inclined to make nice distinctions, or to exercise careful judgment and selection; exact; nicely judicious. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Inclined to criticise or find fault; fastidious; captious; censorious; exacting. [ 1913 Webster ]

O gentle lady, do not put me to 't,
For I am nothing, if not critical. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Characterized by thoroughness and a reference to principles, as becomes a critic; as, a critical analysis of a subject. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our circumstances are indeed critical. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

The small moment, the exact point, the critical minute, on which every good work so much depends. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

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.” [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a critical manner; with nice discernment; accurately; exactly. [ 1913 Webster ]

Critically to discern good writers from bad. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. At a crisis; at a critical time; in a situation, place, or condition of decisive consequence; as, a fortification critically situated. [ 1913 Webster ]

Coming critically the night before the session. Bp. Burnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The state or quality of being critical, or of occurring at a critical time. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Accuracy in examination or decision; exactness. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Physics), That combination of volume and pressure, at the critical temperature of the substance, at which the liquid and gaseous phases of a given quantity of a substance have identical values for their densities and other properties. [ PJC ]

(Physics), A certain temperature, different for different gases, but always the same for each gas, regarded as the temperature above which no amount of pressure can produce condensation to a liquid; the temperature above which a gas cannot be liquified. [ 1913 Webster ]