credits
credits — noun
1. public praise or positive attention that someone receives because of something t
public praise or positive attention that someone receives because of something they did or helped to do.
Amara received full credit for organizing the school's charity fundraiser.
receive credit for + noun
The chef gave credit to her whole team for the restaurant's award.
Kwame took all the credit for the project, even though everyone helped.
Nobody gave the designer any credit for the new logo.
When the film won the prize, the director deserved most of the credit.
- praise
more emotional and direct than 'credit'; often spoken aloud
- recognition
more formal; often used in official or written contexts
- acknowledgment
slightly more formal; suggests a public or official statement
- blame
assigning responsibility for something negative rather than positive
文法句型
credit for + noun/gerund
get/take/receive/deserve credit
give credit to someone
用法筆記
Often used with prepositions 'for' (to specify what is being recognized) or 'to' (to specify who deserves recognition). The negative form 'take credit for' can imply someone claimed recognition they did not earn.
常見錯誤
2. a unit that a student receives for completing a course, used to measure progress
a unit that a student receives for completing a course, used to measure progress toward a degree or certificate.
Wei earned fifteen credits in his first year at university.
earn + number + credits
This biology course is worth four credits toward a science degree.
Kenji transferred his credits from a community college to a state university.
Students need at least one hundred twenty credits to graduate.
The history class gives three credits for one semester of study.
- credit hour
more specific term for the time-based measure behind a credit
- unit
used in some educational systems as a synonym for credit
文法句型
earn/get/receive + number + credits
credit + in/toward + subject/degree
用法筆記
Predominantly used in North American education systems. In British English, 'modules' or 'units' are more common. Credits are typically measured in semester or quarter hours.
常見錯誤
3. the quality of having a good name or being respected, especially as a result of
the quality of having a good name or being respected, especially as a result of honest or admirable behavior.
The young athlete is a credit to her school and her family.
be a credit to + group/institution
To his credit, Diego admitted the mistake and apologized immediately.
The volunteer group's hard work brought credit to the whole neighbourhood.
It is to the company's credit that it treats its workers fairly.
A person of good credit keeps their promises and acts honestly.
- honor
more formal than 'credit'; suggests a higher level of moral respect
- esteem
refers more to the feeling of respect others hold, rather than the quality itself
- reputation
broader term; can be positive or negative, while 'credit' is always positive
文法句型
be a credit to + noun phrase
to someone's credit
用法筆記
The fixed phrase 'to someone's credit' introduces a positive fact about a person. 'Be a credit to' expresses that someone's behavior brings honor to a group they belong to.
常見錯誤
4. an arrangement that lets a person or business receive money, goods, or services
an arrangement that lets a person or business receive money, goods, or services now and pay for them later, often with extra charges such as interest.
Nora bought the furniture on credit and paid it off over six months.
buy on credit
The bank approved a line of credit for the small bakery.
Mr. Chen's credit history showed that he always paid his bills on time.
Using a credit card can help you build a good credit score.
The car dealer offered zero percent credit for the first twelve months.
- cash
payment made immediately rather than later; opposite of 'on credit'
文法句型
on credit
buy/purchase on credit
line of credit
credit card
用法筆記
'On credit' is a fixed phrase meaning 'with an agreement to pay later'. 'Credit' in the context of 'credit score' or 'credit history' refers to a person's financial reputation for repaying debts.
常見錯誤
5. the acceptance that a statement, story, or piece of information is true or can b
the acceptance that a statement, story, or piece of information is true or can be relied on.
The judge gave no credit to the witness's unlikely account of events.
give no credit to + statement (formal)
Layla found it hard to lend credit to rumours that had no evidence.
Historians give little credit to the story that the king escaped.
The new study lends credit to the theory that exercise improves memory.
Without proof, the committee refused to place any credit in the report.
- doubt
the refusal to believe something is true
文法句型
give credit to + statement/belief
lend credit to
用法筆記
This sense is primarily found in formal or literary English. It is less common in everyday conversation, where 'believe' or 'trust' are preferred. The verb phrase 'lend credit to' is a fixed expression meaning 'make something seem more believable'.
常見錯誤
6. a record in a financial account that shows money added, received, or owed, usual
a record in a financial account that shows money added, received, or owed, usually entered on the right-hand side.
The accountant posted a credit of five hundred dollars to the client's account.
post a credit to + account
Every deposit appears as a credit on the bank statement.
Interest payments show up as small credits each month in a savings account.
The error was fixed by adding a credit to the customer's invoice.
A credit increases the balance in a liability account.
- debit
the opposite side of an account entry — on the left side
文法句型
credit + to + account
enter/post a credit
用法筆記
In double-entry bookkeeping, a debit entry is on the left and a credit entry is on the right. Whether a credit increases or decreases an account depends on the type of account (asset, liability, revenue, etc.).
常見錯誤
❌ 'Please credit the amount to my account.' (This is the verb form.) — This sense is the noun: 'Please enter a credit to my account.' Note the different word class.
7. an amount of money that can be subtracted from the total tax a person or busines
an amount of money that can be subtracted from the total tax a person or business owes to the government.
Families can claim a tax credit for each child they support.
claim a tax credit for
The government introduced a new credit for homeowners who install solar panels.
If you paid too much tax, you may receive a credit on your next return.
Small businesses got a credit for hiring workers from disadvantaged areas.
Eligible students can apply for an education credit when they file their taxes.
- tax bill
the amount owed, of which a credit reduces the total
文法句型
tax credit
credit against + tax
claim a credit
用法筆記
A tax credit directly reduces the amount of tax owed (dollar for dollar), which is different from a tax deduction (which reduces the amount of income subject to tax). Commonly paired with specific qualifying purposes: childcare, education, energy efficiency.
常見錯誤
credits — verb
1. to say or believe that someone is responsible for a good achievement, or that so
to say or believe that someone is responsible for a good achievement, or that someone has a particular quality.
Sunita is credited with inventing a device that purifies water using sunlight.
be credited with + gerund (achievement)
Historians credit the ancient Egyptians with developing the first writing system.
The discovery of penicillin is credited to Alexander Fleming.
The coach credited the team's victory to their hard work before the match.
Many people credit Fatima with the idea of starting a community garden.
文法句型
credit + someone + with + noun/gerund
be credited with + noun/gerund
credit + something + to + someone
用法筆記
Two patterns exist: 'credit A with B' (A is the person, B is the achievement) and 'credit B to A' (B is the achievement, A is the person). The passive form 'be credited with' is very common in formal and journalistic writing.
常見錯誤
2. to record an amount of money as added to a bank account, bill, or financial reco
to record an amount of money as added to a bank account, bill, or financial record.
The bank credited two hundred dollars to my savings account this morning.
credit + amount + to + account
Amir's account was credited with the refund after he returned the shoes.
The store credited my credit card for the returned items.
Please credit the payment to invoice number 4098.
The travel agency credited five thousand bonus points to his frequent flyer account.
文法句型
credit + amount + to + account/person
credit + account + with + amount
用法筆記
Two common patterns: 'credit something to someone/something' (the amount goes to the recipient) or 'credit someone/something with something' (the recipient is mentioned first). Both are interchangeable.
常見錯誤
3. to accept that something is true or real, especially when it is surprising or ha
to accept that something is true or real, especially when it is surprising or hard to believe.
Pedro could scarcely credit the news that his team had won the championship.
scarcely credit + news (formal disbelief)
I find it hard to credit the excuse he gave for being late.
The teacher would not credit the student's claim that the dog ate his homework.
Few people credited the rumour that the old library would be closed.
Chinua could hardly credit what he saw when he opened the ancient chest.
- doubt
to question or not accept something as true
文法句型
credit + noun phrase
credit + that-clause (rare)
hardly/scarcely credit + noun phrase
用法筆記
This verb sense is formal and often appears with 'can/could scarcely', 'can/could hardly', or 'would not' to express disbelief. In everyday conversation, 'believe' is much more common.
常見錯誤
4. to allow a customer to receive goods or services now and pay for them at a later
to allow a customer to receive goods or services now and pay for them at a later date.
The supplier agreed to credit the restaurant for the kitchen equipment.
credit + someone + for + goods
Most furniture stores will credit customers who have a steady income.
Wholesalers often credit small shops so they can stock their shelves.
The hardware store credited the construction company for all the building materials.
Online retailers rarely credit new businesses without a credit check.
- demand cash
insisting on immediate payment rather than allowing credit
文法句型
credit + someone + with + goods
credit + someone (as recipient of deferred payment)
用法筆記
This sense is used in commercial contexts between businesses or between a business and its customers. The customer is the object of the verb ('credit someone'), while the goods or services are specified with 'for' or 'with'.
常見錯誤
5. to add to the good reputation of a person, group, or organisation through admira
to add to the good reputation of a person, group, or organisation through admirable actions.
The students' charity work credits the entire school.
action + credits + institution
Yuki's bravery in the emergency credited the fire department she served.
The team's fair play on the field credited their coach's teaching.
The board credited the committee's careful judgment when it approved the new policy.
The orchestra's flawless performance credited the years of hard training.
- disgrace
to bring shame or dishonor upon
文法句型
credit + noun phrase (the action/organisation)
用法筆記
This is a relatively rare and formal usage. More commonly, the idea is expressed with the noun form in 'be a credit to' (e.g. 'His success is a credit to the school'). This verb sense sounds somewhat old-fashioned.