Also 6 credyte, -itt, 6–7 credite. [f. CREDIT sb.: cf. mod.F. créditer (not in Cotgr. 1611, in Savary 1723). The vb. may however have been formed, without the intervention of the sb., directly on L. crēdit- ppl. stem of crēdĕre to believe, as the Eng. repr. of the latter; it was app. so treated in 16–17th c.]
1. trans. To give credit to, put faith in, believe, trust (a statement, person or thing).
1548. Gest, Pr. Masse, 84. God … graunt us all to learne, love, credyte and maynteyne hys truth.
1567. Triall Treas. (1850), 35. Credite not those … that talke that and this.
1632. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 171. That the fame of the accident might … be the better credited.
1665. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 356. They are … civil in peace, fierce in war; deceitful if too much credited.
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 17, ¶ 2. I … am content to credit my senses.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 644. The report of William’s death was … credited.
1875. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., v. (ed. 5), 61. If we may credit Theophanes.
† b. intr. To give credit to. Obs.
1557. North, trans. Gueuara’s Diall Pr., 216 b/2. Crediting … to such hie doctrine.
1655. Orrery, Parthenissa (1676), 180. If you will credit to a profession which my actions seem to contradict.
† 2. trans. a. To entrust (a person with a thing).
1581. Lambarde, Eiren., IV. iii. (1588), 384. That he which is put in trust with the rest of the Records, should be credited with the custodie of the Commission.
1586. A. Day, Eng. Secretary, II. (1625), 8. More then once I have bin credited with ten times the value of that at your hands.
1600. Hakluyt, Voy., III. 683 (R.). Whome your especiall trust and fauour hath credited and graced with this employment.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa, Wks. 1883, VII. 397. If I can get some good family to credit me with a sister or a daughter … I will … marry.
† b. (a thing to a person). Obs.
1559. Scot, in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. II. App. vii. 18. Contynue in those thinges which thou hast learned, and which be credited unto thee.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, IV. i. 93. This office [Sergeant Maior] was credited vnto none.
1647. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., I. lxii. (1739), 126. That the smaller Free-holds should be of too high esteem to be credited to such Conveyances.
1662. Gauden, in Chr. Wordsworth, Doc. Supplement (1825), 34. It seems a good omen … that my concernes should bee credited to soe generous a brest.
† 3. a. To trust (a person) with goods or money on the faith of future payment; to supply with goods on credit. Obs.
1541. Act 33 Hen. VIII., c. 15. Strangers … vsed to credit and truste the poore inhabitauntes … which … had not redy money.
1574. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford, 354. No man will credit or truste a banckerowte.
1667. Duchess of Newcastle, Life of Duke (1886), 98. My Lord … was credited by the citizens for as many goods as he was pleased to have.
1719. W. Wood, Surv. Trade, 163. Persons, who … are industrious Men, and can be credited.
1754. Shebbeare, Matrimony (1766), I. 40. That ready Money from a Tobacconist’s Wife is equal to the Honour of crediting a Dutchess.
† b. To credit out: to lend or let out on credit.
1595. Maroccus Ext., 5. Not to credit out his wares to anie man.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 29. How faithfully … doth she [the earth] repay with vsury that which was lent and credited out vnto her!
† 4. To secure belief or credit for, to accredit.
1611. Tourneur, Ath. Trag., II. iv. Our next endeauor is … to credit that [report] With all the countenance wee can.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., Pref. 19. If a Writer endevours, by delivering new … Observations or Experiments, to credit his Opinions.
5. To bring into credit, repute or estimation; to reflect credit upon, do credit to. Now rare or arch.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., IV. i. 106. I call them forth to credit her.
1615. J. Stephens, Satyr. Ess. (ed. 2), 43. They seeke … to credit their owne Colledge.
1623. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., I. 198. That my actions might credit my profession.
1710. Palmer, Proverbs, 242. Smatterers in science … neither instruct the company, nor credit themselves.
1793. W. Roberts, Looker-on, No. 55. That sanctity of morals, under which the marriage state is sure to be credited and promoted.
1880. World, 26 May. Some will burst into leaf, and credit the care and attention of the husbandman.
6. Book-keeping. To enter on or carry to the credit side of an account. Const. to credit an amount to a person, or a person with an amount.
1682. Scarlett, Exchanges, 237. A wise Creditor will … presently upon the Receipt thereof, credit his account of Goods, and debit his account currant for the Value.
1710. Lond. Gaz., No. 4706/2. The Ballance … has been duly credited to the Publick.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1852), I. 621. An universal bank, wherein accounts are regularly kept, and every man debited or credited for the least farthing he takes out or brings in.
1868. Hamilton & Ball, Book-keeping (1886), 4. To enter on the Cr. side … [is called] to credit the account.
1868. M. Pattison, Academ. Org., iv. 110. Of this nett income, a part … must be credited to our second division of the endowment fund, as an outlay on education.
1883. Law Rep. 11 Q. Bench Div. 565. Entries were made … crediting Stoney with 1630l. and Armitage with 800l.
7. fig. To credit (something) to a person, or a person with something: to give him credit for it, ‘put it down to his account,’ ascribe it to him.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., lxxv. The world which credits what is done Is cold to all that might have been.
1858. O. W. Holmes, Aut. Breakf.-t., 183. Some excellent remarks were made on immortality, but mainly borrowed from and credited to Plato.
1879. H. George, Progr. & Pov., II. ii. (1881), 114. The famines of India [etc.] … can no more be credited to over-population than [etc.].
1883. Froude, Short Stud., IV. I. iii. 24. To credit him with a desire to reform the Church.
Hence Credited ppl. a., Crediting vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., lxxiv. 301. For the better crediting whereof, they … wrote their Letters.
1653. Manton, Exp. James i. 21. There is an act of faith, the crediting and believing faculty is stirred up.
1790. Han. More, Relig. Fash. World (ed. 2), 153. That once credited promise, that ‘they who have done well shall go into everlasting life.’
