credit

n. [ F. crédit (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. [ 1913 Webster ]

When Jonathan and the people heard these words they gave no credit unto them, nor received them. 1 Macc. x. 46. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Reputation derived from the confidence of others; esteem; honor; good name; estimation. [ 1913 Webster ]

John Gilpin was a citizen
Of credit and renown. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A ground of, or title to, belief or confidence; authority derived from character or reputation. [ 1913 Webster ]

The things which we properly believe, be only such as are received on the credit of divine testimony. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. That which tends to procure, or add to, reputation or esteem; an honor. [ 1913 Webster ]

I published, because I was told I might please such as it was a credit to please. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Influence derived from the good opinion, confidence, or favor of others; interest. [ 1913 Webster ]

Having credit enough with his master to provide for his own interest. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Credit is nothing but the expectation of money, within some limited time. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. The time given for payment for lands or goods sold on trust; as, a long credit or a short credit. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

He touched the dead corpse of Public Credit, and it sprung upon its feet. D. Webster. [ 1913 Webster ]