animadversion

noun

Etymology: From Middle French animadversion and its etymon Latin animadversiō (“observation, criticism”), from animadvertō (“to pay attention”), from animus (“mind”) + advertō (“to turn to”).

1. A criticism, a critical remark.

   “[A] misconstruction or misinterpretation, nay, the misplacing of a comma, was in Gifford's eyes a crime worthy of the most severe animadversion.”

   “While the censorious man is most severe in judging others, he is invariably the most ready to repel any animadversions made upon himself; upon the principle well understood in medical circles, that the feeblest bodies are always the most sensitive.”

2. The state or characteristic of being animadversive.

   “He was deceived; for justice hath also knowledge and animadversion over such as gather stubble (as the common saying is) or looke about for grape-seed.”

   “Nor have I scrupled, in so flagrant a case, to allow myself a severity of animadversion little congenial with the general spirit of these papers.”