October 21, 2011 - Word of the Day: credit

You can use the word "credit" in a few different ways when talking about money. Notice the explanations for each example. Generally, credit is money, or it's equal to a dollar amount. For example...

• My bill was credited $89 because the hotel made a mistake . (Money was subtracted from my total bill. In this sentence, "credit" is a verb in the passive voice.)
• Nelly received $10 of in-store credit when she returned some gloves. (Nelly received a piece of paper that was worth money towards a purchase in the store. In this sentence, "credit" is a noun.)
• Do you have a credit card? (A credit card allows a person to make a purchase and pay for it later. In this question, "credit" is an adjective.)
• Glen has very good credit. He can get a loan for a car at any time. (A person can have good credit or bad credit. This refers to your history of using credit and your ability to repay money that you owe.)

However the word "credit" can also be used when talking about a person's good work:

• Christine deserves a lot of credit for the company's success. (The word "credit" is a noun in this sentence and the next sentence.)
• Martin Luther King Jr. was a credit to humanity.
• The firefighter is being credited for saving the boy's life. (The word "credit" is a verb in the present continuous passive voice in this sentence.)

Word of the Day for October 20, 2011: lend

Word of the Day: August 2011

Word of the Day: July 2011