cri·sis ( krº"s¹s) n. pl. cri·ses ( -s¶z) 1. a. A crucial or decisive point or situation; a turning point. b. An unstable condition, as in political, social, or economic affairs, involving an impending abrupt or decisive change. 2. A sudden change in the course of a disease or fever, toward either improvement or deterioration. 3. An emotionally stressful event or a traumatic change in a person's life. 4. A point in a story or drama when a conflict reaches its highest tension and must be resolved. n. attributive. 1. Often used to modify another noun: crisis intervention; crisis planning. [Middle English from Latin from Greek from krinein to separate; See krei- in Indo-European Roots.]

Synonyms: crisis crossroad exigency head juncture pass The central meaning shared by these nouns is " a critical point or state of affairs ": a military crisis; government policy at the crossroad; had failed to predict the health-care exigency; a problem that is coming to a head; negotiations that had reached a crucial juncture; things rapidly coming to a desperate pass.

krei- . Important derivatives are: riddle 1 garble crime criminal discriminate certain concern decree discern excrement secret crisis critic, hypocrisy To sieve, discriminate, distinguish. I. 1. Basic form with variant instrumental suffixes. a. suffixed form *krei-tro- . RIDDLE 1 , from Old English hridder , hriddel , sieve, from Germanic *hridra- , a sieve; b. suffixed form *krei-dhro- . CRIBRIFORM , GARBLE , from Latin cr ºbrum, a sieve. 2. Suffixed form *krei-men- . a. CRIME , ( CRIMINAL ); RECRIMINATE , from Latin cr ºmen, judgment, crime; b. DISCRIMINATE , from Latin discr ºmen, distinction ( dis- , apart). 3. Suffixed zero-grade form *kri-no- (participial form *kri-to- ). CERTAIN ; CONCERN , DECREE , DISCERN , ( EXCREMENT ), EXCRETE , ( INCERTITUDE ), RECREMENT , SECERN , SECRET , from Latin cernere (perfect cr ¶vº; past participle cr ¶tus), to sift, separate, decide. 4. Suffixed zero-grade form *kri-n-yo- . CRISIS , CRITIC , CRITERION ; APOCRINE , DIACRITIC , ECCRINE , ENDOCRINE , EPICRITIC , EXOCRINE , HEMATOCRIT , HYPOCRISY , from Greek krinein , to separate, decide, judge ( > krinesthai , to explain). [ Pokorny 4. sker- , Section II. 945. ]

dras·tic ( dr²s"t¹k) adj. 1. Severe or radical in nature; extreme: the drastic measure of amputating the entire leg; drastic social change brought about by the French Revolution. 2. Taking effect violently or rapidly: a drastic emetic. [Greek drastikos active from drastos to be done from dran to do] dras "ti·cal·ly adv.

meas·ure ( mµzh"…r) n. Abbr. meas. 1. Dimensions, quantity, or capacity as ascertained by comparison with a standard. 2. A reference standard or sample used for the quantitative comparison of properties: The standard kilogram is maintained as a measure of mass. 3. A unit specified by a scale, such as an inch, or by variable conditions, such as a day's march. 4. A system of measurement, such as the metric system. 5. A device used for measuring. 6. The act of measuring. 7. An evaluation or a basis of comparison: " the final measure of the worth of a society " Joseph Wood Krutch See note at standard . 8. Extent or degree: The problem was in large measure caused by his carelessness. 9. A definite quantity that has been measured out: a measure of wine. 10. A fitting amount: a measure of recognition. 11. A limited amount or degree: a measure of good-will. 12. Limit; bounds: generosity knowing no measure. 13. Appropriate restraint; moderation: " The union of . . . fervor with measure, passion with correctness, this surely is the ideal " William James 14. Often measures An action taken as a means to an end; an expedient: desperate measures. 15. A legislative bill or enactment. 16. Poetic meter. 17. Music The metric unit between two bars on the staff; a bar. v. meas·ured meas·ur·ing meas·ures v. tr. 1. To ascertain the dimensions, quantity, or capacity of: measured the height of the ceiling. 2. To mark, lay out, or establish dimensions for by measuring: measure off an area. 3. To estimate by evaluation or comparison: " I gave them an account . . . of the situation as far as I could measure it " Winston S. Churchill 4. To bring into comparison: She measured her power with that of a dangerous adversary. 5. a. To mark off or apportion, usually with reference to a given unit of measurement: measure out a pint of milk. b. To allot or distribute as if by measuring; mete: The revolutionary tribunal measured out harsh justice. 6. To serve as a measure of: The inch measures length. 7. To consider or choose with care; weigh: He measures his words with caution. 8. Archaic To travel over: " We must measure twenty miles today " Shakespeare v. intr. 1. To have a measurement of: The room measures 12 by 20 feet. 2. To take a measurement. 3. To allow of measurement: White sugar measures more easily than brown.

Phrasal Verbs: measure up 1. To be the equal of. 2. To have the necessary qualifications: a candidate who just didn't measure up.

Idioms: beyond measure 1. In excess. 2. Without limit. for good measure 1. In addition to the required amount. in a measure or in some measure 1. To a degree: The new law was in a measure harmful. [Middle English from Old French mesure from Latin m¶ns¿ra from m¶nsus,past participle of m¶tºrºto measure; See m ¶- 2 in Indo-European Roots.] meas "ur·er n.

m ¶- 2 . Important derivatives are: meal 2 piecemeal measure dimension immense meter 1 diameter geometry moon Monday month menopause menstruate semester To measure. Contracted from *me …-. I. Basic form m ¶-. 1. Suffixed form *m ¶-lo-. MEAL 2 ; PIECEMEAL , from Old English m Æl, " measure, mark, appointed time, time for eating, meal, " from Germanic *m ¶laz. 2. Suffixed form *m ¶-ti-. a. MEASURE , ( MENSURAL ); ( COMMENSURATE ), DIMENSION , IMMENSE , from Latin m ¶tºrº, to measure; b. METIS , from Greek m ¶tis, wisdom, skill. 3. METER 1 , METER 2 , ( METER 3 ), -METER , METRICAL , -METRY ; DIAMETER , GEOMETRY , ISOMETRIC , METROLOGY , METRONOME , SYMMETRY , from Greek metron , measure, rule, length, proportion, poetic meter, possibly from m ¶- 2 (but this is referred by some to med- ). II. Extended and suffixed forms *m ¶n-, *m ¶n-en-, *m ¶n-½t-, *m ¶n-s-, moon, month (an ancient and universal unit of time measured by the moon). 1. MOON ; ( MONDAY ), from Old English m ½na, moon, from Germanic *m ¶n½n-. 2. MONTH , from Old English m ½nath, month, from Germanic *m ¶n½th-. 3. AMENORRHEA , CATAMENIA , DYSMENORRHEA , EMMENAGOGUE , ( MENARCHE ), MENISCUS , ( MENOPAUSE ) from Greek m ¶n, m ¶n¶, month. 4. MENSES , MENSTRUAL , ( MENSTRUATE ); BIMESTRIAL , SEMESTER , TRIMESTER , from Latin m ¶nsis, month. [ Pokorny 3. m ¶- 703, m ¶n½t- 731. ]