Word of the Day: Critical

crit-i-cal / ˈkridək(ə)l adjective 1. inclined to judge or find fault with, often severely If we find ourselves becoming critical of other people, we should stop examining them, and start examining ourselves. William Barclay, 1907-1978 2. involving or using judicious evaluation The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual’s own reason and critical analysis. Dalai Lama, 1935- 3. including scholarly revisions or varied readings In any case, this ideal of a critical edition is critical in at least two senses: first in that it considers the textual tradition critically rather than simply trusting it; and second in that it provides its competent readers with all the materials they need in order to put its own authority into question critically and to improve it by using the means it provides them. from the lecture ‘What is a Critical Edition?’ by Glenn W. Most, 1952- 4. of, relating to, or being an important turning point In critical moments even the very powerful have need of the weakest. from ‘The Lion and the Mouse’ by Aesop, 620 BC-564 BC 5. being or relating to the stage of a disease at which an abrupt change can be expected Three people were in critical condition after being rescued from a house fire in Pittsburgh’s Greenfield neighborhood late Wednesday night. Brian C. Rittmeyer, ?- https://triblive.com/local/allegheny/14324673-74/3-people-in-very-critical-condition-after-being-rescued-from-greenfield-house 6. vital When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude. Gilbert K. Chesterton, 1874-1936 7. approaching a state of crisis A friend is one who aids with deeds at a critical time when deeds are called for. Euripides, 484 BC-406 BC 8. in physics, pertaining to a state, value, etc. at which properties of a substance undergo a change When we reach a “critical mass” of integration, we experience spontaneous combustion – an explosion of inner synergy that ignites the fire within and gives vision, passion, and a spirit of adventure to life. Stephen Covey, 1932-2012 9. crucial The future of the future is in the critical recovery of the present. Carl Spight, 1944-?