1. (n.) The rules and principles which regulate the practice of the critic; the art of judging with knowledge and propriety of the beauties and faults of a literary performance, or of a production in the fine arts; as, dramatic criticism.

2. (n.) The act of criticizing; a critical judgment passed or expressed; a critical observation or detailed examination and review; a critique; animadversion; censure.

adverse criticism analysis animadversion appraisal approval aspersion assessment bad notices bad press book review captiousness carping cavil caviling censoriousness censure comment commentary commentation condemnation critical bibliography critical journal critical notice critical review critique cryptanalysis cryptography cryptology diagnostics disapproval disparagement editorial epigraphy estimate estimation evaluation examination exception exegetics faultfinding flak gloss hairsplitting hermeneutics hit home thrust hostile criticism hypercriticalness hypercriticism imputation judgement knock leader leading article lexicography literary criticism metoposcopy nagging niggle niggling nit nit-picking notice obloquy observation oneirology opinion overcriticalness paleography pathognomy pestering pettifogging physiognomics physiognomy priggishness quibble quibbling rap rating reflection remark renew report reproachfulness review running commentary semeiology semeiotics slam stricture study swipe symptomatology taking exception textual criticism trichoschistism tropology valuation write-up