| 释义 |
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.
c1374Chaucer Boeth. iv. iv. 124 Al be it so þat þis ne seme nat credible þing perauenture to somme folk. 1430Lydg. Chron. Troy i. vi, The mortall harme..That is well more then it is credible. 1594[see credibility]. 1651Hobbes Leviath. i. ii. 7 Than right reason makes that which they say, appear credible. 1798Ferriar Varieties of Man in Illustr. Sterne 211 Who had the fate to be disbelieved in every credible assertion. 1883Froude 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.
1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 165 b, And it is to suppose, & credyble to byleue that, etc. 1563Fulke Meteors (1640) 52 Some would make it seeme credible, that of vapours and Exhalations..a calfe might be made in the clouds. 1653H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xlix. 195 No news could be heard of her, which made it credible that she also suffered shipwrack. 1699Burnett 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.
1960Times 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. 1963Daily 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’. 1966Schwarz & 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.
1393Gower Conf. III. 170 Among the kinges in the bible I finde a tale and is credible Of him. 1426Paston Lett. No. 7 I. 25, I herde..no maner lykly ne credible evidence. 1513More Rich. III Wks. 37/2 This haue I by credible informacion learned. 1601Shakes. All's Well i. ii. 4 So tis reported sir..Nay tis most credible. 1632Lithgow 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.)
1478Sir J. Paston Lett. No. 814 III. 222 Any suche credyble man maye, iff he wyll, wytnesse ther-in with me. 1502Arnolde Chron. (1811) 125 Promysing feithfully in the presence of credyble persones. 1550Crowley Last Trump. 1370 Though the euidence be plaine, and the accusars credible. 1671J. Webster Metallogr. iii. 40 Observations from credible Authors. 1722Sewel Hist. Quakers (1795) I. Pref. 11 Which I noted down from the mouth of credible persons. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) II. 473, I have been informed by a credible person that [etc.].
†3. Ready, willing, or inclined to believe. Obs.
c1420Chron. Vilod. 1087 Þuse men weren credeable of Seynt Edus godenasse. c1440Lydg. Secrees 1060 Nat lyghtly to be Credyble To Talys that make discencion. 1623Cockeram ii. A iiij b, One too much Beleeuing, Credulous, Credible. 1675Traherne 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.
1631Milton Let. in Wks. (ed. Birch 1738) I. 4 To which nothing is more helpful than the early entring into some credible Employment. 1647Lilly Chr. Astrol. xxix. 191 He is in good estimation and lives in a credible way. 1712Arbuthnot John Bull ii. iii, A good credible way of living. |
