credit: Meaning and Definition of
cred•it
Pronunciation: (kred'it), [key]
— n.
- commendation or honor given for some action, quality, etc.: Give credit where it is due.
- a source of pride or honor: You are a credit to your school.
- the ascription or acknowledgment of something as due or properly attributable to a person, institution, etc.: She got a screen credit for photography.
- trustworthiness; credibility: a witness of credit.
- confidence in a purchaser's ability and intention to pay, displayed by entrusting the buyer with goods or services without immediate payment.
- reputation of solvency and probity, entitling a person to be trusted in buying or borrowing: Your credit is good.
- influence or authority resulting from the confidence of others or from one's reputation.
- time allowed for payment for goods or services obtained on trust: 90 days' credit.
- repute; reputation; esteem.
- a sum of money due to a person; anything valuable standing on the credit side of an account: He has an outstanding credit of $50.
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- official acceptance and recording of the work completed by a student in a particular course of study.
- a credit hour.
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- an entry of payment or value received on an account.
- the right-hand side of an account on which such entries are made (opposed to debit).
- an entry, or the total shown, on the credit side.
- any deposit or sum of money against which a person may draw.
- to be a source of honor or distinction for someone.
- by deferred payment: Everything they have was bought on credit.
- deserving of praise or recognition; admirable: It is to his credit that he freely admitted his guilt.
—v.t.
- to believe; put confidence in; trust; have faith in.
- to bring honor, esteem, etc., to; reflect well upon.
- to enter upon the credit side of an account; give credit for or to.
- to award educational credits to (often fol. by with): They credited me with three hours in history.
- to ascribe to a (thing, person, etc.): In former times many herbs were credited with healing powers.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.