[ad. L. animadversiōn-em, n. of action f. animadvert-ĕre: see ANIMADVERT. Cf. Fr. animadversion 16th c. in Littré, which may have been the immediate model.] gen. The action or process of animadverting, or its embodiment in words.
I. The turning or directing of the attention.
† 1. The action of turning the attention to a subject; the observation or consideration of anything. Obs.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. iv. § 1 (1873), 27. I have no meaning … to make any exact animadversion of the errors and impediments in matters of learning.
1677. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., 63. The due animadversion and inspection of their own Minds.
1738. J. Keill, Anim. Œcon., Pref. 30. Accurate Animadversion and Comparison of … the appearances.
1795. T. Taylor, Apuleius (1822), 61. Returning to an animadversion of the present transactions.
† 2. The faculty or habit of noticing or observing; attention, perception, conscious mental action. Obs.
1601. Chester, Love’s Mart., clxxxi. The vnsatiate Sparrow … Foretels true things by animaduertion.
1681. Glanvill, Sad. Trium., II. (1726), 464. For in an infinite Life as God is, there can be no distraction, his animadversion necessarily being infinite.
1682. Rust, Disc. Truth, 177. Food which without their intention or animadversion is concocted in their Ventricle.
† 3. (with pl.) The action of calling the attention of others; notice, monition, warning. Obs.
1647. Sprigg, Ang. Rediv., III. vi. (1854), 174. His excellency had animadversions from the committee … of incursions made by the king’s horse.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. I. 42. They all knew Cæsar’s fate, by contemning, or neglecting such animadversions.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 443, ¶ 7. Another timely Animadversion is absolutely necessary.
II. Judicial or critical attention.
4. The action of taking judicial cognizance of offences, and of inflicting punishment; concr. with pl. a penal visitation, arch.
1646. H. Lawrence, Comm. & Warre w. Angels, 65. O wish rather the animadversion to fall upon your bodies and estates.
1726. Ayliffe, Parerg., 157. A [ecclesiastical] Censure has a relation to a Spiritual Punishment, but an [ecclesiastical] Animadversion has only a respect to a Temporal one, as Degradation, and the Delivering of a Person over to the Secular Court.
1750. Wesley, Wks., 1872, VII. 394. Of all divine animadversions, there is none more horrid … than this [an earthquake].
1839–42. Alison, Hist. Eur. (1849), VIII. l. § 73. 198. A power whose lightest measure of animadversion would be banishment.
5. The utterance of criticism, usually of a hostile kind; censure, reproof, blame.
1599. Thynne, Animadv., 68. Fyve especiall thinges, woorthye the animadversione.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., II. iii. VI. He hath done more worthy of dispraise and animadversion, then worthy of commendation.
1680. in Somers, Tracts, II. 84. Could not possibly escape the Animadversion of the House.
1751. Johnson, Rambl., No. 155, ¶ 1. No weakness of the human mind has more frequently incurred animadversion.
1835. I. Taylor, Spirit. Desp., ii. 107. A perfect liberty of animadversion upon clerical conduct.
1868. M. Pattison, Academ. Organ., § 1. 5. Our temper at this moment should not be one of animadversion and cavil.
6. concr. A criticism, comment, observation or remark (usually, but not always, implying censure).
1599. Thynne, Animadv., 2. My petye animaduersions vppon the Annotacions and Corrections … deliuered by master Thomas Speghte vppon the last editione of Chaucers Workes.
1677. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, III. 162. His incomparable animadversions on God’s love to mankind.
1740–61. Mrs. Delany, Life & Corr. (1861), III. 498. Our landlady and her maids making animadversions on our conduct.
1839. Hallam, Hist. Lit., II. II. vii. § 23. 303. He made some sharp animadversions on this ode.
