Credence

Credence, krē′dens, n. belief: trust: the small table beside the altar on which the bread and wine are placed before being consecrated.—n. Creden′dum, a thing to be believed, an act of faith:—pl. Credenda.—adjs. Crē′dent, easy of belief; Creden′tial, giving a title to belief or credit.—n. that which entitles to credit or confidence: (pl.) esp. the letters by which one claims confidence or authority among strangers.—ns. Credibil′ity, Cred′ibleness.—adj. Credible (kred′-), that may be believed.—adv. Cred′ibly.—n. Cred′it, belief: esteem: reputation: honour: good character: sale on trust: time allowed for payment: the side of an account on which payments received are entered: a sum placed at a person's disposal in a bank on which he may draw to its amount.—v.t. to believe: to trust: to sell or lend to on trust: to enter on the credit side of an account: to set to the credit of.—adj. Cred′itable, trustworthy: bringing credit or honour.—n. Cred′itableness.—adv. Cred′itably.—ns. Cred′itor, one to whom a debt is due:—fem. Cred′itrix; Crē′do, the Creed, or a musical setting of it for church services; Credū′lity, credulousness: disposition to believe on insufficient evidence.—adj. Cred′ulous, easy of belief: apt to believe without sufficient evidence: unsuspecting.—adv. Cred′ulously.—ns. Cred′ulousness; Creed, a summary of articles of religious belief, esp. those called the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian: any system of belief. [Fr.,—Low L. credentia—L. credent-, believing, pr.p. of credĕre.]