credible, a.
(ˈkrɛdɪb(ə)l)
Also 5 credeable, 5–6 credyble, 6 credabull.
[ad. L. crēdibilis worthy to be believed, f. crēd-ĕre to believe: see -ble. Also in 15–16th c. F. croidible, crédible.]
1. Capable of being believed; believable: a. of assertions.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iv. iv. 124 Al be it so þat þis ne seme nat credible þing perauenture to somme folk. 1430 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. vi, The mortall harme..That is well more then it is credible. 1594 [see credibility]. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. i. ii. 7 Than right reason makes that which they say, appear credible. 1798 Ferriar Varieties of Man in Illustr. Sterne 211 Who had the fate to be disbelieved in every credible assertion. 1883 Froude Short Stud. IV. i. xi. 142 When the falsehood ceased to be credible the system which was based upon it collapsed. |
b. of matters of fact: with impersonal const.
| 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 165 b, And it is to suppose, & credyble to byleue that, etc. 1563 Fulke Meteors (1640) 52 Some would make it seeme credible, that of vapours and Exhalations..a calfe might be made in the clouds. 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xlix. 195 No news could be heard of her, which made it credible that she also suffered shipwrack. 1699 Burnett 39 Art. vi. (1700) 81 It is not all credible that an Imposture of this kind could have passed upon all the Christian Churches. |
c. (See quot. 1963.) Cf. credibility b.
| 1960 Times 11 Feb. 11/6 As a guarantee of European nuclear retaliation against a nuclear attack a N.A.T.O. deterrent would be highly credible. 1963 Daily Tel. 12 Jan. 13/8 ‘Credible’, in the language of nuclear strategy, does not mean ‘adequately frightful’. It means ‘such as an enemy will think likely to be used’. 1966 Schwarz & Hadik Strategic Terminology 42 Credible first strike capability. Ibid., The deterrent effect must also be credible to the allies who are to be protected by the threat. |
2. Worthy of belief or confidence; trustworthy, reliable: † a. of information, evidence, etc. Obs.
| 1393 Gower Conf. III. 170 Among the kinges in the bible I finde a tale and is credible Of him. 1426 Paston Lett. No. 7 I. 25, I herde..no maner lykly ne credible evidence. 1513 More Rich. III Wks. 37/2 This haue I by credible informacion learned. 1601 Shakes. All's Well i. ii. 4 So tis reported sir..Nay tis most credible. 1632 Lithgow Trav. iv. (1682) 139 It is holden to be so credible as if an Oracle had spoken it. |
b. of persons. (Now somewhat arch., exc. in ‘credible witness’ or the like.)
| 1478 Sir J. Paston Lett. No. 814 III. 222 Any suche credyble man maye, iff he wyll, wytnesse ther-in with me. 1502 Arnolde Chron. (1811) 125 Promysing feithfully in the presence of credyble persones. 1550 Crowley Last Trump. 1370 Though the euidence be plaine, and the accusars credible. 1671 J. Webster Metallogr. iii. 40 Observations from credible Authors. 1722 Sewel Hist. Quakers (1795) I. Pref. 11 Which I noted down from the mouth of credible persons. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) II. 473, I have been informed by a credible person that [etc.]. |
† 3. Ready, willing, or inclined to believe. Obs.
| c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 1087 Þuse men weren credeable of Seynt Edus godenasse. c 1440 Lydg. Secrees 1060 Nat lyghtly to be Credyble To Talys that make discencion. 1623 Cockeram ii. A iiij b, One too much Beleeuing, Credulous, Credible. 1675 Traherne Chr. Ethics xv. 217 There is a fair way laid open to the credible of such objects attested and revealed with such circumstances. |
† 4. Having or deserving credit or repute; of good repute, creditable, reputable. Obs.
| 1631 Milton Let. in Wks. (ed. Birch 1738) I. 4 To which nothing is more helpful than the early entring into some credible Employment. 1647 Lilly Chr. Astrol. xxix. 191 He is in good estimation and lives in a credible way. 1712 Arbuthnot John Bull ii. iii, A good credible way of living. |