credit noun
1 buy now?pay later; money borrowed/lent
ADJ. long-term, short-term | interest-free | foreign | bank | consumer, export, trade
VERB + CREDIT have, use When poorer people use credit, mail order is the key source. | get, obtain If you don't have a regular income you may be unable to get credit. | extend, give sb, grant (sb), offer (sb) Most shops selling furniture or electrical goods will offer credit. | deny sb, refuse sb The bank refused further credit to the company. | arrange | expand We propose to expand credit in order to create demand.
CREDIT + NOUN account, agreement, arrangement, facilities, system, terms | limit Your credit limit is now £2,000. | period | sale, transaction, transfer | rating, scoring, standing He has a bad credit rating (= seems unlikely to pay the money back). | risk He's a bad credit risk. | control | crunch, squeeze | institution, market, union | note If damaged items have to be returned, the manufacturer may issue a credit note.
PREP. on ~ I bought it on credit.
PHRASES a letter of credit (= a letter from one bank to another that enables you to obtain money) I have arranged for my branch to send a letter of credit to the branch nearest the hotel.
2 money in a bank account
ADJ. direct I'm paid by direct credit into my bank account.
VERB + CREDIT have I have three credits on my bank statement.
CREDIT + NOUN balance a credit balance of £265
PREP. in ~ My account is in credit. | ~ of a credit of £35
3 praise/approval
ADJ. great | full | eternal, everlasting | due We should give due credit to all who helped make the event a success.
VERB + CREDIT give sb | claim, get, receive, take Why should she get all the credit? | do sb, reflect Your concern does you credit. The success of the venture reflects great credit on the organizers. | deserve
PREP. to sb's ~ To her eternal credit, she gave them a home. | ~ for At least give him credit for trying.
PHRASES give credit where credit is due 4 the credits list of people who worked on a film, etc.
ADJ. opening | final | film
CREDIT + VERB roll We left the cinema before the final credits began to roll.
5 sb/sth that brings honour to sb/sth else
ADJ. great
PREP. ~ to He's a great credit to the school.