critical condition

American  

[krit-i-kuhl kuhn-dish-uhn] / ˈkrɪt ɪ kəl kənˈdɪʃ ən /

noun

1. Medicine/Medical. an unstable state, resulting from severe illness or injury, in which the patient’s vital signs and other symptoms indicate a significant risk of death.

   An 80-year-old man with serious head injuries was rushed from the accident scene to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

2. a state of serious disrepair or disarray.

   After years of underfunding, the city’s infrastructure is in critical condition.

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Etymology

Origin of critical condition

First recorded in 1860–65 critical condition for def. 1; 1950–55 critical condition for def. 2

Example Sentences

One person was in critical condition, five were critical but stable and one was stable.

From The Wall Street Journal

He remained in critical condition as our home and 10,000 others were lost in the flames.

From Los Angeles Times

A further 22 people remain in hospital, nine of whom are in a critical condition.

From BBC

The surviving gunman is in a critical condition.

From BBC

Medics say one person is in a critical condition, six are "critical but stable", and two others are less severely hurt.

From BBC