Question

what does credit mean here?
historians often credit french artist françois boucher with being one of the best draftsmen of the eighteenth century.
credit noun a sum of money added to an account
credit verb to recognize as the source or possessor of something

Explanation:

In the sentence "Historians often credit French artist François Boucher with being one of the best draftsmen of the eighteenth century", the verb form of "credit" is used. The context is about historians recognizing François Boucher as a great draftsman. The noun meaning "a sum of money added to an account" is not relevant here. The verb meaning "to recognize as the source or possessor of something" fits the context.

Answer:

credit verb to recognize as the source or possessor of something