creationism
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found in the first part of the Bible in the book of Genesis. It says that God created the world and everything in it in six days, and on the seventh day God rested. When God made human beings, he made a man called Adam out of the earth, and then made a woman called Eve out of one of Adam's RIBS (=one of the curved bones that surround your chest). Some Christians, called FUNDAMENTALISTS, believe that this is exactly how Creation happened, and do not believe in other scientific explanations of how the world and life began. In the US, fundamentalist Christians have been upset when the scientific idea of EVOLUTION has been taught in schools. In some states, they have influenced politicians, who have then said that schools must teach the Bible story of the Creation as well as the idea of evolution.
→ compare EVOLUTION
cre·a·tion·ism /kriˈeɪʃənɪzəm/ n [U] the belief that God created the universe in the way described in the Bible → see also CREATION SCIENCE —ist n: Creationists don't believe in Darwinian evolution.
cre·a·tion science n [U] an attempt to give a scientific explanation to Creation, as described in the Bible, by people who do not accept the idea of EVOLUTION
cre·a·tive¹ /kriˈeɪtɪv/ adj apprec 1 producing new and original ideas and things; imaginative and inventive: creative thinking | a very creative musician 2 resulting from newness of thought or expression: his creative designs for the new college building —ly adv
cre·a·tive² n infml someone such as a writer or artist who uses their imagination or skills to make things
cre·a·tive ac·counting n [U] (in business) the art of changing accounts to achieve a more desirable set of figures in a way that is misleading but not illegal
cre·a·tiv·i·ty /ˌkriːeɪˈtɪvəti/ also cre·a·tive·ness /kriˈeɪtɪvnəs/ n [U] apprec the ability to produce new and original ideas and things; imagination and inventiveness: an education system that lets children use their creativity
cre·a·tor /kriˈeɪtər/ a person who CREATES
Cre·a·tor, the n God
crea·ture /ˈkritʃər/ n 1 a living being of any kind, but not a plant; an animal, bird, fish etc: The crocodile is a strange-looking creature. | creatures from outer space 2 (often used in expressions of feeling, especially sympathy) a person of the stated kind: The poor creature had no home, family, or friends. | He is a creature of habit. (=a person with very fixed habits) 3 [(of)] a person whose rank or position is dependent on total obedience to another: a creature of the military government 4 all creatures great and small quote the second line of a HYMN → see also ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL
,cre·a·ture ˈcom·forts n [P] food, clothes, warmth, and other things that increase physical comfort
crèche /kreʃ|kreʃ, kreɪʃ/ n 1 BrE || day-care center, nursery AmE — a place, for example provided at a place of work, where babies and small children are cared for while their parents work. Crèches are sometimes provided at sports centres and events such as CONFERENCES but they are still quite rare → compare NURSERY, PLAYGROUP 2 AmE for CRIB
cre·dence /ˈkriːdəns/ n [U] fml acceptance as true; belief: The public does not give much credence to the government's promises.
cre·den·tials /krɪˈdenʃəlz/ n [P] 1 a letter or other written proof of a person's position, good character etc: The new ambassador presented his credentials to the court. 2 anything that proves a person's abilities, qualities, or suitability: Both candidates for the job have excellent credentials. | The new finance minister has very sound credentials as an economist.
cred·i·bil·i·ty /ˌkredˈbɪləti/ n [U] the quality of deserving belief and trust; being credible: If we don't keep our promises, we'll lose credibility with the public. | The Chernobyl accident has undermined/damaged the credibility of the nuclear power industry. → see also STREET-CREDIBILITY
,crediˈbility gap n the difference between what someone, especially a politician, says and what they really mean or do
cred·i·ble /ˈkredɪbəl/ adj deserving to be believed, trusted, or taken seriously: a credible story | a barely (=only just) credible excuse | a credible defence policy → see also INCRED-IBLE —bly adv
cred·it¹ /ˈkredt/ n 1 [U] a system of buying goods or services and paying for them later. People generally use this system to buy large or expensive things such as furniture or electrical goods which they want immediately, but sometimes find difficult to pay for at once. Businesses like the system because it encourages people to spend or borrow money: If you can't afford to pay cash, buy the furniture on credit. | six months' credit | This shop gives/offers interest-free credit. → compare HIRE PURCHASE 2 [U] the quality of being likely to repay debts and being trusted in money matters: Her credit is good. → see also CREDIT RATING 3 [U] (the amount of) money in a person's bank account, as at a bank: My account is in credit. (=there is money in it) → compare DEBIT 4 [U] belief or trust in the truth or rightness of something: Do you place any credit in the government's story? | The theory is gaining credit (=becoming more popular) with economists. 5 [U(for)] public approval or praise given to someone because of something they have done: She was given no credit for her invention. | The government is trying to claim the full credit for the fall in prices. 6 [C(to) usually sing.] a cause of honour: You're a credit to your team. | Our armed forces do us credit. (=are a credit to us) → opposite DIS-CREDIT 7 [C] (especially in the US) a completed unit of a student's work that forms part of a course, especially at a university: She hasn't enough credits to get her degree. 8 to someone's credit a) in someone's favour; in a way that brings honour to someone: The King, to his great credit, opposed the establishment of a military government. b) to/in someone's name; belonging to or done by someone: She's not yet 30, but already has five books to her credit! (=she has written five books) → see also CREDITS, LETTER OF CREDIT
credit² v [T not in progressive forms] 1 especially BrE to accept as true; believe: Their claim/statement is rather hard to credit. | (shows surprise) Well, would you credit it – he's actually arrived on time! 2 [(to)] to add to an account: The money/cheque has been credited to your account. → compare DEBIT
credit sbdy. with sthg. phr v [T] to accept that (someone) has (a quality) or is responsible for (an action); give credit to: I credit him with a certain amount of sense. | She is credited with having saved the company from bankruptcy.
cred·i·ta·ble /ˈkredɪtəbəl/ adj deserving praise or approval: a creditable attempt to establish peace | a very creditable achievement → opposite DISCREDITABLE —bly adv
'cred·it ac·count BrE || charge account AmE — n an account with a shop which allows you to take goods at once and pay for them later
'cred·it card n a small plastic card which is used instead of money to pay for goods and services from shops, travel companies, petrol stations etc. The cost is charged to your account and paid later: Do you take credit cards? | We accept all major credit cards. | an alarming rise in credit card fraud → compare CHARGE CARD, CHEQUE CARD, DEBIT CARD
'cred·it con·trol n [U] tech a business department which decides how much CREDIT a new customer can have, and tries to make sure that money owed to the company is paid at the right time
'cred·it crunch n CREDIT SQUEEZE
'cred·it limit n the most money that a customer can spend on credit, or that a person is allowed to borrow from a CREDIT CARD company etc: a credit limit of £250
'cred·it note BrE || also credit voucher AmE — n a note given by a shop when goods have been returned, allowing you to buy other goods of the same value: I'm afraid we don't give cash refunds, but you can have a credit note.
cred·i·tor /ˈkredɪtər/ n a person or organization to whom money is owed → compare DEBTOR
'cred·it rating n an opinion about how likely a person or business is to repay their debts
CULTURAL NOTE The credit rating of a business is based on its value and how successful it is. The ratings are done by companies whose business is to examine this type of information. Credit ratings for ordinary people are also done by special companies which examine whether people have paid back debts in the past, for example their MORTGAGE or CREDIT CARD bills. The biggest company that does this in the US is TRW.