from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Credit \Cred"it\ (kr[e^]d"[i^]t), n. [F. cr['e]dit (cf. It.
credito), L. creditum loan, prop. neut. of creditus, p. p. of
credere to trust, loan, believe. See {Creed}.]
1. Reliance on the truth of something said or done; belief;
faith; trust; confidence.
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When Jonathan and the people heard these words they
gave no credit unto them, nor received them. --1
Macc. x. 46.
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2. Reputation derived from the confidence of others; esteem;
honor; good name; estimation.
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John Gilpin was a citizen
Of credit and renown. --Cowper.
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3. A ground of, or title to, belief or confidence; authority
derived from character or reputation.
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The things which we properly believe, be only such
as are received on the credit of divine testimony.
--Hooker.
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4. That which tends to procure, or add to, reputation or
esteem; an honor.
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I published, because I was told I might please such
as it was a credit to please. --Pope.
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5. Influence derived from the good opinion, confidence, or
favor of others; interest.
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Having credit enough with his master to provide for
his own interest. --Clarendon.
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6. (Com.) Trust given or received; expectation of future
playment for property transferred, or of fulfillment or
promises given; mercantile reputation entitling one to be
trusted; -- applied to individuals, corporations,
communities, or nations; as, to buy goods on credit.
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Credit is nothing but the expectation of money,
within some limited time. --Locke.
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7. The time given for payment for lands or goods sold on
trust; as, a long credit or a short credit.
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8. (Bookkeeping) The side of an account on which are entered
all items reckoned as values received from the party or
the category named at the head of the account; also, any
one, or the sum, of these items; -- the opposite of
{debit}; as, this sum is carried to one's credit, and that
to his debit; A has several credits on the books of B.
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{Bank credit}, or {Cash credit}. See under {Cash}.
{Bill of credit}. See under {Bill}.
{Letter of credit}, a letter or notification addressed by a
banker to his correspondent, informing him that the person
named therein is entitled to draw a certain sum of money;
when addressed to several different correspondents, or
when the money can be drawn in fractional sums in several
different places, it is called a {circular letter of
credit}.
{Public credit}.
(a) The reputation of, or general confidence in, the
ability or readiness of a government to fulfill its
pecuniary engagements.
(b) The ability and fidelity of merchants or others who
owe largely in a community.
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He touched the dead corpse of Public Credit, and
it sprung upon its feet. --D. Webster.
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