credit n.

a unit of currency

  • [1931 M. J. Breuer & J. Williamson Birth of a New Republic in Amazing Stories Quarterly Winter 25/1 page image Miles J. Breuer, M.D. Jack Williamson bibliography

    The Assembly met again, made an appropriation of five million credit units to defray the expenses of the war, and issued a call for volunteers to fight for the freedom of the planet.]

  • [1932 R. F. Starzl in Argosy 5 Mar. 73/1

    In that instant of murder Sillokan could not watch the technie, and Ranvall tore open the door to disappear into the night. The Martian paid him no attention. Closing the door, he removed the tiny reel from the dead man’s clutch, neatly packed the bundles of credit units into the case, and quietly took his departure.]

  • 1934 J. W. Campbell Mightiest Machine in Astounding Stories Dec. 23/1 page image John W. Campbell, Jr. bibliography

    Right enough, and tell me why I have to build that five-million-credit flying laboratory.

  • 1937 E. E. Smith Galactic Patrol in Astounding Stories Dec. 68/2 page image Edward E. Smith bibliography

    Bid, one thousand credits per packet of ten. Offered, none at any price.

  • 1939 C. L. Moore in Astounding Science Fiction July 141/1 C. L. Moore

    Sallie’s laughter was light. ‘Only fifteen hundred credits. That’s dirt-cheap for a Skiparelle model.’

  • 1949 R. A. Heinlein Cuts to ‘Red Planet’ in R. A. Heinlein & V. Heinlein Grumbles from Grave (1990) 252 Robert A. Heinlein

    We’ll go hunting together and I’ll bet you two credits that I score first.

  • 1951 M. Reynolds Case of Little Green Men 200

    ‘Listen…how about another woji ? All this talking has made me a little dry.’ ‘Sure,’ he said and slid a two-minute credit out to Beri. Then he walked over to the Vio-Box and looked over its selection.

  • 1962 H. B. Piper in Analog Science Fiction/Fact Dec. 122/2 H. Beam Piper

    Our currency is based on services to society. Our monetary unit is simply called a credit.

  • 1965 J. Brunner Galactic Consumer Reports No. 1: Inexpensive Time Machines in Galaxy Magazine Dec. 61/2 page image John Brunner bibliography

    VALUE FOR CREDITS[:] Apart from the episode of the invading Mongols, the WORLDLINE WANDERER—the most expensive machine tested—performed well and met the various Standards applied. All the others, even though less costly, displayed faults which we regard as potentially dangerous. We therefore name as our Best Buy: WORLDLINE WANDERER at Cr. 9,768.10 (recommended Earthside retail price).

  • 1972 A. D. Foster Tar-Aiym Krang 23, Alan Dean Foster

    I can’t set value on my answers, only on your question. Whatever you deem it worth, sir. If I give no answer I will refund your credits.

  • 1982 A. McCaffrey Crystal Singer 227 Anne McCaffrey

    Those black crystals brought you a total of twenty-three thousand credits.

  • 1987 J. M. Ford How Much For Just the Planet? 8

    ‘I admit that the Deployable Target is a very fancy rubber balloon,’ Kirk said, ‘not to mention expensive—’ ‘Two point eight six three million credits for each of the four prototypes,’ Spock said.

  • 1993 I. Asimov Forward Foundation 342 Isaac Asimov

    He had no credits to continue his work—no credits to locate others like Wanda, no credits to pay his workers on the Psychohistory Project at Streeling, no credits to set up his all-important Encyclopedia Project at the Galactic Library.

  • 1993 J. Pournelle & S. M. Stirling Prince of Sparta 183 S. M. Stirling Jerry Pournelle bibliography

    We be needing CS credits and Friedlander marks someday too.

  • 1997 J. Vornholt Mind Meld iii. 47 John Vornholt

    The rural craft guilds need the Federation credits from this agreement.

  • 2015 J. Fry Edge of the Galaxy 88 page image Jason Fry bibliography

    That would cost credits the Empire isn’t willing to spend.

Research requirements

antedating 1937
Earliest cite

E.E. Smith, "Galactic Patrol"
Research History
Mike Christie submitted a citation from 1939.
Cory Panshin submitted a cite from a 1978 reprint of Fredric Brown's 1948 novel "What Mad Universe?".
Dan Tilque submitted a cite from a reprint of E.E. Smith's "Galactic Patrol"; Mike Christie verified it in the 1937 original magazine appearance.
Michael Dolbear submitted a cite from a 1978 reprint of H. Beam Piper's "Space Viking"; Mike Christie verified it in the 1962 magazine appearance.
Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a 1983 reprint of Alan Dean Foster's "The Tar-Aiym Krang"; Douglas Winston verified the cite in the 1972 first edition.
Enoch Forrester submitted a 1987 cite from John M. Ford's "How Much for Just the Planet?"
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 1951 cite from Mack Reynolds' "The Case of the Little Green Men".
Katrina Campbell submitted a 1982 cite from Anne McCaffrey's "Crystal Singer".
Brian Ameringen submitted a cite from a 1972 reprint of John W. Campbell's "The Mightiest Machine"; Fred Galvin verified it in its first appearance, in the December 1934 Astounding.
Fred Galvin submitted a 1932 cite for the form "credit unit".
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2015 cite.
Jesse Sheidlower submitted a 1931 cite for the form "credit unit".
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 1965 cite from John Brunner, which also shows the abbreviated form "Cr."

Last modified 2021-12-29 16:09:36
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.