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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Animadversion

Animadversion \An`i*mad*ver"sion\, n. [L. animadversio, fr. animadvertere: cf. F. animadversion. See Animadvert.]

  1. The act or power of perceiving or taking notice; direct or simple perception. [Obs.]

    The soul is the sole percipient which hath animadversion and sense, properly so called.
    --Glanvill.

  2. Monition; warning. [Obs.]
    --Clarendon.

  3. Remarks by way of criticism and usually of censure; adverse criticism; reproof; blame.

    He dismissed their commissioners with severe and sharp animadversions.
    --Clarendon.

  4. Judicial cognizance of an offense; chastisement; punishment. [Archaic] ``Divine animadversions.''
    --Wesley.

    Syn: Stricture; criticism; censure; reproof; blame; comment.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
animadversion

1590s, "criticism, blame," also sometimes in early use simply "notice, attention" (now obsolete), from Latin animadversionem (nominative animadversio) "investigation, inquiry; perception, observation," noun of action from past participle stem of animadverte "to take cognizance of," literally "to turn the mind to," from animum, accusative of animus "mind" (see animus), + advertere "to turn to" (see advertise). The sense of "to take notice of as a fault" was in Latin; in fact animadverto at times was a euphemism for "to punish with death."

Wiktionary
animadversion

n. 1 (context countable English) A criticism, a critical remark. 2 (context uncountable English) The state or characteristic of being animadversive.

WordNet
animadversion

n. harsh criticism or disapproval [syn: censure]

Usage examples of "animadversion".

The piece was written with great acrimony, and abounded with severe animadversions, not only upon the conduct of the returning officer, but also on the proceedings of the commons.

The prelate, feeling the force of these animadversions, circulated a pamphlet in which it appeared that the midwife had made three prior appearances before the judge, and that she would have been sent to the gallows long ago if the archbishop had not hesitated to shame three of the noblest families in Bologna, whose names appeared in documents in the custody of his chancellor.

Studiously rejecting the individuality taught him by the school of Vinet, and reticent of his personal opinions, he has incurred the animadversions of some of his warmest admirers.

Deborah Wilkins, with some proper animadversions on bastards I have told my reader, in the preceding chapter, that Mr.

In the meantime Wilhelmina was daily and hourly exposed to the mortifying animadversions of her mamma, who, with all the insolence of virtue, incessantly upbraided her with the backslidings of her vicious life, and exhorted her to reformation and repentance.

Gilbert Cooper related, that soon after the publication of his Dictionary, Garrick being asked by Johnson what people said of it, told him, that among other animadversions, it was objected that he cited authorities which were beneath the dignity of such a work, and mentioned Richardson.

The plays of Shakespeare did not escape the most bitter animadversions of the moral reformers.

But the gigantic obelisks like that on Bunker Hill, and especially the Washington monument at the national capital, are open to critical animadversion.

He revolved it as a chant: with anon and anon involuntarily a discordant animadversion on Lady Busshe.

And when I questioned him what occasion I had given for such an animadversion, all that he could say amounted to this,-- that I sometimes contradicted people in conversation.

Beamish himself in a freak of his gaiety, was once popular enough to provoke the moralist to animadversions upon an order of composition that 'tempted every bouncing country lass to sidle an eye in a blowsy cheek' in expectation of a coronet for her pains--and a wet ditch as the result!

The wisdom of Augustus, after curbing the freedom of revenge, applied to this domestic offence the animadversion of the laws: and the guilty parties, after the payment of heavy forfeitures and fines, were condemned to long or perpetual exile in two separate islands.