根据元照英美法词典，credit有以下含义：（1）信用；偿债能力（2）信贷（3）赊欠期（4）（个人银行存款）账面应得余额；贷方余额（5）贷记；贷方；贷记金额（6）信用证。在这里取其第二层“信贷”之含义。

“line of credit”在这里指的是信贷额度、信贷限额，简称信贷，是借款人和银行做出协议，定好最高限额，允许借款人在这个额度内，随时从银行借款。其英文释义如下：

A line of credit (LOC) is a preset borrowing limit that can be used at any time. The borrower can take money out as needed until the limit is reached, and as money is repaid, it can be borrowed again in the case of an open line of credit.

Line of credit的主要优点在于其内在伸缩性。而主要的缺点则在于其高利率、延迟支付的高罚金以及有可能引起过度支出的风险。

Line of credit 属于一种开放性信贷 open-end credit account（预先核准，可重复使用直至达到预定限额的贷款）,而非封闭式信贷closed-end credit account（在一段时间内以相同金额分数次偿还债务的方式，如：分期付款、汽车贷款）。

以下为相关例句：

Short-term financing is usually arranged as a line of credit. Medium-term financing, generally a term of five to seven years, may also be used by foreign investors to fund their U.S. operations.

短期融资一般以信贷限额的形式提供， 而海外投资者亦可利用中期融资（一般为五至七年）为经营美国业务提供资金。

The shareholder’s loan was provided by the Group in the form of a line of credit through the provision of satellite transponder capacity.

股东贷款由本集团透过提供卫星转发器容量以信贷的最高限额形式提供。