Credit

n. [Fr. crédit, It. & Sp. credito, from Lat. creditum, loan, &c., from credere, creditum, to trust, to loan.] 1. Reliance or resting of the mind on the truth of something said or done; belief; faith. What does else want credit, come to me. And I'll be sworn 'tis true. Shak. 2. Reputation derived from the confidence of others; esteem; honor; reputation; estimation. Put an obligation on the credits . . . of new Christians. Fuller. John Gilpin was a citizen Of credit and renown. Cowper. 3. That which procures or is entitled to belief or confidence; authority derived from character or reputation. The things which we properly believe, be only such as are received on the credit of divine testimony. Hooker. 4. Influence derived from the good opinion, confidence, or favor of others; interest. Having credit enough with his master to provide for his own interest, he troubled not himself with that of other men. Clarendon.

5. (Com.) Trust given or received; expectation of future payment for property transferred or promises given; mercantile reputation entitling to be trusted, or to receive goods or loans on promise of after-payment;—applied to corporations, communities, or nations.
6. (Book-keeping.) The side of an account on which are entered all items reckoned as values received or transferred from the party or the category (as Cash, Bills Receivable, &c.) named at the head of the account; also, any one or the sum of these items.

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.