account Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a record or narrative description of past events
    story; chronicle; history.
    • a history of France
    • he gave an inaccurate account of the plot to kill the president
    • the story of exposure to lead
  2. noun a short account of the news
    report; story; news report; write up.
    • the report of his speech
    • the story was on the 11 o'clock news
    • the account of his speech that was given on the evening news made the governor furious
  3. noun a formal contractual relationship established to provide for regular banking or brokerage or business services
    business relationship.
    • he asked to see the executive who handled his account
  4. noun a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
    explanation.
    • the explanation was very simple
    • I expected a brief account
  5. noun grounds
    score.
    • don't do it on my account
    • the paper was rejected on account of its length
    • he tried to blame the victim but his success on that score was doubtful
  6. noun importance or value
    • a person of considerable account
    • he predicted that although it is of small account now it will rapidly increase in importance
  7. noun a statement of recent transactions and the resulting balance
    accounting; account statement.
    • they send me an accounting every month
  8. noun the act of informing by verbal report
    report.
    • he heard reports that they were causing trouble
    • by all accounts they were a happy couple
  9. noun an itemized statement of money owed for goods shipped or services rendered
    bill; invoice.
    • he paid his bill and left
    • send me an account of what I owe
  10. noun the quality of taking advantage
    • she turned her writing skills to good account
  11. verb be the sole or primary factor in the existence, acquisition, supply, or disposal of something
    • Passing grades account for half of the grades given in this exam
  12. verb keep an account of
    calculate.
  13. verb to give an account or representation of in words
    report; describe.
    • Discreet Italian police described it in a manner typically continental
  14. verb furnish a justifying analysis or explanation
    answer for.
    • I can't account for the missing money

WordNet

Ac*count" noun
Etymology
OE. acount, account, accompt, OF. acont, fr. aconter. See Account, v. t., Count, n., 1.
Definitions
  1. A reckoning; computation; calculation; enumeration; a record of some reckoning; as, the Julian account of time.
    A beggarly account of empty boxes. Shak.
  2. A registry of pecuniary transactions; a written or printed statement of business dealings or debts and credits, and also of other things subjected to a reckoning or review; as, to keep one's account at the bank.
  3. A statement in general of reasons, causes, grounds, etc., explanatory of some event; as, no satisfactory account has been given of these phenomena. Hence, the word is often used simply for reason, ground, consideration, motive, etc.; as, on no account, on every account, on all accounts.
  4. A statement of facts or occurrences; recital of transactions; a relation or narrative; a report; a description; as, an account of a battle. "A laudable account of the city of London." Howell.
  5. A statement and explanation or vindication of one's conduct with reference to judgment thereon.
    Give an account of thy stewardship. Luke xvi. 2.
  6. An estimate or estimation; valuation; judgment.
    "To stand high in your account." Shak.
  7. Importance; worth; value; advantage; profit.
    "Men of account." Pope.
    "To turn to account." Shak.
    Syn. -- Narrative; narration; relation; recital; description; explanation; rehearsal. -- Account, Narrative, Narration, Recital. These words are applied to different modes of rehearsing a series of events. Account turns attention not so much to the speaker as to the fact related, and more properly applies to the report of some single event, or a group of incidents taken as whole; as, an account of a battle, of a shipwreck, etc. A narrative is a continuous story of connected incidents, such as one friend might tell to another; as, a narrative of the events of a siege, a narrative of one's life, etc. Narration is usually the same as narrative, but is sometimes used to describe the mode of relating events; as, his powers of narration are uncommonly great. Recital denotes a series of events drawn out into minute particulars, usually expressing something which peculiarly interests the feelings of the speaker; as, the recital of one's wrongs, disappointments, sufferings, etc.
  8. To reckon; to compute; to count. Obs.
    The motion of . . . the sun whereby years are accounted. Sir T. Browne.
  9. To place to one's account; to put to the credit of; to assign; -- with to. R. Clarendon.
  10. To value, estimate, or hold in opinion; to judge or consider; to deem.
    Accounting that God was able to raise him up. Heb. xi. 19.
  11. To recount; to relate. Obs. Chaucer.
Ac*count" intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To render or receive an account or relation of particulars; as, an officer must account with or to the treasurer for money received.
  2. To render an account; to answer in judgment; -- with for; as, we must account for the use of our opportunities.
  3. To give a satisfactory reason; to tell the cause of; to explain; -- with for; as, idleness accounts for poverty. Shak.
    Newer was preaching more accounted of than in the sixteenth century. Canon Robinson.

Webster 1913