Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Public \Pub"lic\, a. [L. publicus, poblicus, fr. populus people:
   cf. F. public. See {People}.]
   1. Of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people;
      relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community;
      -- opposed to {private}; as, the public treasury.

            To the public good Private respects must yield.
                                                  --Milton.

            He [Alexander Hamilton] touched the dead corpse of
            the public credit, and it sprung upon its feet. --D.
                                                  Webster.

   2. Open to the knowledge or view of all; general; common;
      notorious; as, public report; public scandal.

            Joseph, . . . not willing to make her a public
            example, was minded to put her away privily. --Matt.
                                                  i. 19.

   3. Open to common or general use; as, a public road; a public
      house. ``The public street.'' --Shak.

   {Public act} or {statute} (Law), an act or statute affecting
      matters of public concern. Of such statutes the courts
      take judicial notice.

   {Public credit}. See under {Credit}.

   {Public funds}. See {Fund}, 3.

   {Public house}, an inn, or house of entertainment.

   {Public law}.
      (a) See {International law}, under {International}.
      (b) A public act or statute.

   {Public nuisance}. (Law) See under {Nuisance}.

   {Public orator}. (Eng. Universities) See {Orator}, 3.

   {Public stores}, military and naval stores, equipments, etc.
      

   {Public works}, all fixed works built by civil engineers for
      public use, as railways, docks, canals, etc.; but
      strictly, military and civil engineering works constructed
      at the public cost.

Credit \Cred"it\ (kr[e^]d"[i^]t), n. [F. cr['e]dit (cf. It.
   credito), L. creditum loan, prop. neut. of creditus, p. p. of
   credere to trust, loan, believe. See {Creed}.]
   1. Reliance on the truth of something said or done; belief;
      faith; trust; confidence.

            When Jonathan and the people heard these words they
            gave no credit unto them, nor received them. --1
                                                  Macc. x. 46.

   2. Reputation derived from the confidence of others; esteem;
      honor; good name; estimation.

            John Gilpin was a citizen Of credit and renown.
                                                  --Cowper.

   3. A ground of, or title to, belief or confidence; authority
      derived from character or reputation.

            The things which we properly believe, be only such
            as are received on the credit of divine testimony.
                                                  --Hooker.

   4. That which tends to procure, or add to, reputation or
      esteem; an honor.

            I published, because I was told I might please such
            as it was a credit to please.         --Pope.

   5. Influence derived from the good opinion, confidence, or
      favor of others; interest.

            Having credit enough with his master to provide for
            his own interest.                     --Clarendon.

   6. (Com.) Trust given or received; expectation of future
      playment for property transferred, or of fulfillment or
      promises given; mercantile reputation entitling one to be
      trusted; -- applied to individuals, corporations,
      communities, or nations; as, to buy goods on credit.

            Credit is nothing but the expectation of money,
            within some limited time.             --Locke.

   7. The time given for payment for lands or goods sold on
      trust; as, a long credit or a short credit.

   8. (Bookkeeping) The side of an account on which are entered
      all items reckoned as values received from the party or
      the category named at the head of the account; also, any
      one, or the sum, of these items; -- the opposite of
      {debit}; as, this sum is carried to one's credit, and that
      to his debit; A has several credits on the books of B.

   {Bank credit}, or {Cash credit}. See under {Cash}.

   {Bill of credit}. See under {Bill}.

   {Letter of credit}, a letter or notification addressed by a
      banker to his correspondent, informing him that the person
      named therein is entitled to draw a certain sum of money;
      when addressed to several different correspondents, or
      when the money can be drawn in fractional sums in several
      different places, it is called a {circular letter of
      credit}.

   {Public credit}.
      (a) The reputation of, or general confidence in, the
          ability or readiness of a government to fulfill its
          pecuniary engagements.
      (b) The ability and fidelity of merchants or others who
          owe largely in a community.

                He touched the dead corpse of Public Credit, and
                it sprung upon its feet.          --D. Webster.