Search the Dictionary

inner, pudding being formerly the dish first eaten. [Obs.] Johnson. (b) The nick of time; critical time. [Obs.] Mars, that still protects the stout, In pudding time came to his aid. Hudibras.

anything, in distinction from mere appearance; fact. A man fancies that he understands a critic, when in reality he does not comprehend his meaning. Addison.

Specifically, the review of a text (as of an ancient author) by an editor; critical revisal and establishment.

One who makes recensions; specifically, a critical editor.

akes with the perpendicular to the surface. -- Angle of total reflection. (Opt.) Same as Critical angle, under Critical.

To go over and examine critically or deliberately. Specifically:

One who reviews or reëxamines; an inspector; one who examines publications critically, and publishes his opinion upon their merits; a professional critic of books.

ulgent; severe; inflexible; strict; as, a rigid father or master; rigid discipline; rigid criticism; a rigid sentence. The more rigid order of principles in religion and government. Hawthorne.

Exactness without allowance, deviation, or indulgence; strictness; as, the rigor of criticism; to execute a law with rigor; to enforce moral duties with rigor; -- opposed to Ant: lenity.

The character or quality of saints; also, hypocritical pretense of holiness. Wood.

Making a show of sanctity; affecting saintliness; hypocritically devout or pious. "Like the sanctimonious pirate." Shak. -- Sanc`ti*mo"ni*ous*ly, adv. -- Sanc`ti*mo"ni*ous*ness, n.

nctity; especially, outward or artificial saintliness; assumed or pretended holiness; hypocritical devoutness. Her pretense is a pilgrimage; . . . which holy undertaking with most austere sanctimony she accomplished. Shak.

some degree of scorn or contempt; a taunt; a gibe; a cutting jest. The sarcasms of those critics who imagine our art to be a matter of inspiration. Sir J. Reynolds.

philosophy. [R.] Among their products were the system of Locke, the scepsis of Hume, the critical philosophy of kant. J. martineau.

asure, sullennes, or discontent in the countenance; an angry frown. With solemn phiz, and critic scowl. Lloyd.

Discoverable by scrutiny, inquiry, or critical examination. [R.] r. H. More.

To examine closely; to inspect or observe with critical attention; to regard narrowly; as, to scrutinize the measures of administration; to scrutinize the conduct or motives of individuals. Whose votes they were obliged to scrutinize. Ayliffe. Thscrutinized his face the closest. G. W. Cable.

Close examination; minute inspection; critical observation. They that have designed exactness and deep scrutiny have taken some one part of nature. Sir M. Hale. Thenceforth I thought thee worth my nearer view And narrower scrutiny. Milton.

n judgment, discipline, or government; harsh; not mild or indulgent; rigorous; as, severe criticism; severe punishment. "Custody severe." Milton. Come! you are too severe a moraler. Shak. Let your zeal, if it must be expressed in anger, be always more severe against thyself than against others. Jer. Taylor.…

To examine critically or minutely; to scrutinize. Sifting the very utmost sentence and syllable. Hooker. Opportunity I here have had To try thee, sift thee. Milton. Let him but narrowly sift his ideas. I. Taylor. To sift out, to search out with care, as if by sifting.