Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Olimpia_da]

Dear teachers,

please, explain what does this sentense mean

CREDIT CARD device used to obtain consumer credit at the time of purchasing

What does it mean - device in this sentence? credit card itself - "such gadget as credit card", or arrangement of credit card. Or something else.

and used to obtain - it is passive with omitted is (why?) or past meaning as "we used to be together"
Thank you in advance.

[pugachevV]

It means that a credit card is a thing made or adapted for a particular purpose (device) that is used to buy things on credit at the store.

This sounds like a definition from a dictionary or vocabulary. In such definitions words are often omitted to save space.

A credit card is a device that is used to obtain...etc.

[Olimpia_da]

Thank you very much.

Could you also explain me difference between - with use of, using and usage ?