–verb (used with object)

1.	to bring together (separate parts) into a single or unified whole; unite; combine: They consolidated their three companies.

2.	to discard the unused or unwanted items of and organize the remaining: She consolidated her home library.

3.	to make solid or firm; solidify; strengthen: to consolidate gains.

4.	Military. to strengthen by rearranging the position of ground combat troops after a successful attack.

–verb (used without object)

5.	to unite or combine.

6.	to become solid or firm.

–adjective

7.	consolidated (def. 2).

–noun

1.	commendation or honor given for some action, quality, etc.: Give credit where it is due.

2.	a source of pride or honor: You are a credit to your school.

3.	the ascription or acknowledgment of something as due or properly attributable to a person, institution, etc.: She got a screen credit for photography.

4.	trustworthiness; credibility: a witness of credit.

5.	confidence in a purchaser's ability and intention to pay, displayed by entrusting the buyer with goods or services without immediate payment.

6.	reputation of solvency and probity, entitling a person to be trusted in buying or borrowing: Your credit is good.

7.	influence or authority resulting from the confidence of others or from one's reputation.

8.	time allowed for payment for goods or services obtained on trust: 90 days' credit.

9.	repute; reputation; esteem.

10.	a sum of money due to a person; anything valuable standing on the credit side of an account: He has an outstanding credit of $50.

11.	Education. a. official acceptance and recording of the work completed by a student in a particular course of study. b. a credit hour.

12.	Bookkeeping. a. an entry of payment or value received on an account. b. the right-hand side of an account on which such entries are made (opposed to debit). c. an entry, or the total shown, on the credit side.

13.	any deposit or sum of money against which a person may draw.

–verb (used with object)

14.	to believe; put confidence in; trust; have faith in.

15.	to bring honor, esteem, etc., to; reflect well upon.

16.	Bookkeeping. to enter upon the credit side of an account; give credit for or to.

17.	Education. to award educational credits to (often fol. by with): They credited me with three hours in history.

—Verb phrase

18.	credit to or with, to ascribe to a (thing, person, etc.): In former times many herbs were credited with healing powers.

—Idioms

19.	do someone credit, to be a source of honor or distinction for someone. Also, do credit to someone.

20.	on credit, by deferred payment: Everything they have was bought on credit.

21.	to one's credit, deserving of praise or recognition; admirable: It is to his credit that he freely admitted his guilt.

–noun

1.	a usually rectangular piece of stiff paper, thin pasteboard, or plastic for various uses, as to write information on or printed as a means of identifying the holder: a 3″ × 5″ file card; a membership card.

2.	one of a set of thin pieces of cardboard with spots, figures, etc., used in playing various games; playing card.

3.	cards, (usually used with a singular verb) a. a game or games played with such a set. b. the playing of such a game: to win at cards. c. Casino. the winning of 27 cards or more. d. Whist. tricks won in excess of six.

4.	Also called greeting card. a piece of paper or thin cardboard, usually folded, printed with a message of holiday greeting, congratulations, or other sentiment, often with an illustration or decorations, for mailing to a person on an appropriate occasion.

5.	something useful in attaining an objective, as a course of action or position of strength, comparable to a high card held in a game: If negotiation fails, we still have another card to play.

6.

postcard.

7.	calling card (def. 1).

8.	Commerce. a. credit card. b. bank card.

9.	a program of the events at races, boxing matches, etc.

10.	scorecard.

11.	a menu or wine list.

12.	compass card.

13.	Computers. a. punch card. b. board (def. 14a).

14.	trading card.

15.	Informal. a. a person who is amusing or facetious. b. any person, esp. one with some indicated characteristic: a queer card.

–verb (used with object)

16.	to provide with a card.

17.	to fasten on a card.

18.	to write, list, etc., on cards.

19.	Slang. to examine the identity card or papers of: The bartender was carding all youthful customers to be sure they were of legal drinking age.

—Idioms

20.	in or on the cards, impending or likely; probable: A reorganization is in the cards.

21.	play one's cards right, to act cleverly, sensibly, or cautiously: If you play your cards right, you may get mentioned in her will.

22.	put one's cards on the table, to be completely straightforward and open; conceal nothing: He always believed in putting his cards on the table.