Obs. In 7 -icke, 8 -ick, -ique.
1. intr. To play the critic, pass judgment (on something).
1607. A. Brewer, Lingua, IV. ix. (R.). Nay, if you begin to critic once, we shall never have done.
1629. Lightfoot, Erubhin, ii. On which words I can criticke onely with deepe silence.
1689–90. Temple, Ess. Learn., Wks. 1731, I. 151 (J.). They do but … Comment, Critick and Flourish upon them.
2. trans. To pass judgment upon, criticize; esp. (in earlier use) to criticize unfavorably, censure.
1697. Dryden, Virg., Life (1721), I. 71. Those who can Critick his Poetry, can never find a Blemish in his Manners.
1706. Collier, Refl. Ridic., 307. ’Tis playing the Pedant unseasonably to critick things.
1735. Pope, Ep. Lady, 81. As Helluo … Critick’d your wine and analysed your meat.
1751. [see CRITIQUE v.].
