Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - crisis

~ n plural crises 1 a period or moment of great danger, difficulty, or uncertainty, especially in politics or economics  (the energy crisis of 1972 | the Cuban missile crisis) 2 a time when a personal emotional problem or situation has reached its worst point  (In times of crisis you find out who your real friends are. | be at a crisis point (=be in a condition that cannot get any worse))  (I think Paul and Lucinda are at a crisis point in their marriage.) 3 the time during a serious illness when it could get either better or worse  (The crisis came that night.) 4 crisis management the skill or process of dealing with unusually dangerous or difficult situations 5 crisis of confidence a situation in which people no longer believe a government, economy, system etc is working properly, and will no longer support it, work with it etc + in  (a crisis of confidence in the foreign exchange when interest rates were cut)  (- see also midlife crisis)