credit

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun An arrangement for deferred payment of a loan or purchase.
• noun The terms governing such an arrangement.
• noun The time allowed for deferred payment.
• noun The deduction of a payment made by a debtor from an amount due.
• noun The positive balance or amount remaining in a person's account.
• noun A credit line.
• noun Reputation for solvency and integrity entitling a person to be trusted in buying or borrowing.
• noun Official certification or recognition that a student has successfully completed a course of study.
• noun A unit of study so certified.
• noun An acknowledgment of work done, as in the production of a motion picture or publication.
• noun Influence based on the good opinion or confidence of others.
• noun Recognition or approval for an act, ability, or quality.
• noun A source of honor or distinction.
• noun A reputation for sound character or quality; standing.
• noun Belief or confidence in the truth of something: synonym: belief.
• transitive verb To give as a credit.
• transitive verb To give a credit to.
• transitive verb To give or award an educational credit to.
• transitive verb To regard as having performed an action or being endowed with a quality.
• transitive verb To ascribe or attribute: synonym: attribute.
• transitive verb Archaic To bring honor or distinction to.

from The Century Dictionary.

• To believe; confide in the truth of; put credence or confidence in: as, to credit a report or the person who makes it.
• To reflect credit upon; do credit to; give reputation or honor to.
• To trust; sell or lend in confidence of future payment: as, to credit goods or money.
• To enter upon the credit side of an account; give credit for: as, to credit the amount paid; to credit the interest paid on a bond.
• noun Belief; faith; a reliance on or confidence in the truth of something said or done: used both subjectively and objectively.
• noun Repute as to veracity, integrity, ability, reliableness, etc.; right to confidence or trust; faith due to the action, character, or quality of a person or thing; reputation: as, the credit of a historian; a physician in high credit with the profession; the credit of the securities is at a low ebb.
• noun Good repute; favorable estimation; trustful regard or consideration.
• noun That which procures or is entitled to belief or confidence; authority derived from character or reputation: as, we believe a story on the credit of the narrator.
• noun One who or that which brings or reflects honor or distinction.
• noun Influence derived from the good opinion or confidence of others; interest; power derived from weight of character, from friendship, service, or other cause: as, the minister has credit with the prince; use your credit with your friend in my favor.
• noun In com.: Trust; confidence reposed in the ability and intention of a purchaser to make payment at some future time either specified or indefinite: as, to ask or give credit; to sell or buy on credit.
• noun The reputation of solvency and probity which entitles a man to be trusted in buying or borrowing.
• noun In bookkeeping, the side of an account on which payment is entered: opposed to debit: as, this article is carried to one's credit and that to one's debit. Abbreviated Cr.
• noun A note or bill issued by a government, or by a corporation or individual, which circulates on the confidence of men in the ability and disposition of the issuer to redeem it: distinctively called a bill of credit.
• noun The time given for payment for anything sold on trust: as, a long credit or a short credit.
• noun A sum of money due to some person; anything valuable standing on the creditor side of an account: as, A has a credit on the books of B; the credits are more than balanced by the debits.
• noun A credible or credited report.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• noun Reliance on the truth of something said or done; belief; faith; trust; confidence.
• noun Reputation derived from the confidence of others; esteem; honor; good name; estimation.
• noun A ground of, or title to, belief or confidence; authority derived from character or reputation.
• noun That which tends to procure, or add to, reputation or esteem; an honor.
• noun Influence derived from the good opinion, confidence, or favor of others; interest.
• noun (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.
• noun The time given for payment for lands or goods sold on trust.