CRITICAL
ADJECTIVES
1585 — TICKLESOME critical, difficult, delicate, precarious
1592 — TICKLISH critical, precarious, risky, hazardous; needing cautious handling
1611 — HYPERCRITICAL extremely critical
1642 — AUTOCRITICAL critical of oneself or one’s own work
1820 — HYPERCRITIC extremely critical
1851 — DICKY critical, uncertain, doubtful, hazardous; rickety, shaky, tottering; said of things, conditions, etc.
1895 — PECKISH hypercritical, nagging; short-tempered; easily offended → Amer. dial.
1910 — SNOOKY critical, fault-finding → Aust. sl.
1939 — TWITTISH critical, censorious → chiefly UK, rare
1942 — CRITICULAR critical and particular → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1942 — TRITICAL critical and trite → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1949 — PECKY hypercritical, nagging; short-tempered; easily offended → Amer. dial.
1966 — PICKETY hypercritical, fussy, particular, fault-finding → Amer. dial.
NOUNS
1374 — KANKEDORT — KANKERDORT a critical position; a predicament; a state of suspense → obs. rare
1390 — TICKLENESS a critical situation, precariousness; inconstancy; uncertainty → obs.
1422 — PRICK the critical moment; the precise instant of time when anything happens → obs.
1598 — JUMP a critical moment, critical point, crisis → obs.
1830 — CRITICALITY a critical moment → Ireland obs.
1839 — TURNPOINT the critical point in the course of events, etc.
1899 — PUDDING TIME a critical time, the nick of time → Amer. dial.
1927 — HELL TO PAY AND NO PITCH HOT a critical situation, a predicament, or a perplexing foul-up → Amer. dial.
1950 — JUDGEMENTALISM — JUDGMENTALISM overly critical or moralistic behaviour
1955 — FLASHPOINT a critical moment beyond which a situation will inevitable erupt into violence
1963 — DEVIL TO PAY AND NO PITCH HOT a critical situation, a predicament, or a perplexing foul-up → Amer. dial.
1968 — NUT-CUTTING the most critical and distasteful stage in a project or operation → US sl.
1969 — LOW-DOWN a critical or uncomplimentary remark, a put-down → Amer. dial.
1972 — NUTCUT the critical point in an enterprise or operation → US sl.
1980 — CRUNCH TIME a critical moment or period when decisive action is needed → sl.
NOUNS, PERSON
1919 — AGAINSTER a person who has a generally critical or oppositional attitude → colloq.
PHRASES
1784 — BETWEEN THE TINING AND THE WINNING said of being in a critical position, which may result either in ruin or in success; in a state between ruin or safety → Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
1943 — WHEN THE SHIT HITS THE FAN when a situation suddenly becomes critical → sl., orig. US Military usage
1966 — WHEN THE SHIT FLIES when a situation suddenly becomes critical → sl.
VERBS
1594 — COME TO THE PUSH to reach the critical or decisive point
1850 — SNAP UP to respond critically or sharply to one → Amer. dial.
1999 — COME TO THE BOIL to reach a critical or important stage (Bk.)
Lexicophilia 