[L. crēdo ‘I believe.’ Used similarly in Fr., It., Sp., Pg., Ger., etc.]
1. The first word of the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, in Latin; hence in early times a common name for either of these Creeds; now used chiefly for local or historical coloring, or as the name of a musical setting of the Nicene Creed.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 75. Þe salm þet heo alle [apostles] þus writen wes ihaten Credo, efter þan formeste word of þe salm.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 18. And siggeð Pater Noster & Credo.
1481. Caxton, Reynard (Arb.), 7. And sayde he wold teche hym his credo.
1549. (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Ord. Priests, After the gospel and Credo ended.
1850. Prescott, Peru, II. 131. The Spaniards … muttered their credos for the salvation of his soul!
1891. W. B. Robertson, Luther, 21. The old monk Staupitz … explained to him the ‘Credo.’
b. gen. A creed or formula of belief.
1587. J. Still, Hymn agst. Sp. Armada, Roxb. Bal. VI. 378. We will not change owre Credo for Pope, nor boke, nor bell; And yf the Devil come him self, we’ll hounde him back to hell.
1840. Carlyle, Heroes, iv. (1858), 274. With his hypothesis and ultimate infallible credo.
1873. Morley, Rousseau, II. 262. The formal lines of a theological doctrine or a systematic credo.
† 2. [transl. of a Spanish idiom ‘en menos que un credo,’ etc.] The short space of time in which a man might say his Creed. Obs. Cf. PATERNOSTER.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., xlix. 192. They were defeated in the space of two credoes. Ibid., lxi. 251. For the space of five or six Credoes nothing had been spoken [so pp. 229, 268, etc.].
