Nearby Words
noun
1.
an oral or written description of particular events or situations; narrative: an account of the meetings; an account of the trip.
2.
an explanatory statement of conduct, as to a superior.
3.
a statement of reasons, causes, etc., explaining some event.
4.
reason; basis: On this account I'm refusing your offer.
5.
EXPANDimportance; worth; value; consequence: things of no account.
6.
estimation; judgment: In his account it was an excellent piece of work.
7.
an amount of money deposited with a bank, as in a checking or savings account: My account is now with Third National.
8.
Also called charge account. an accommodation or service extended by a business to a customer or client permitting the charging of goods or services, the returning for credit of unsatisfactory merchandise, etc.: Do you have an account at this store? My account with the restaurant is past due.
9.
a statement of financial transactions.
10.
Bookkeeping.
a.
a formal record of the debits and credits relating to the person, business, etc., named at the head of the ledger account.
b.
a balance of a specified period's receipts and expenditures.
11.
COLLAPSECommerce.
a.
a business relation in which credit is used.
b.
any customer or client, especially one carried on a regular credit basis.
c.
Also called advertising account. the business assigned to an advertising agency by a client: The toothpaste account was awarded to a new agency last year.
verb (used without object)
12.
to give an explanation (usually followed by for): to account for the accident.
13.
to answer concerning one's conduct, duties, etc. (usually followed by for): to account for the missing typewriters.
14.
to provide a report on money received, kept, and spent.
15.
to cause (usually followed by for): The humidity accounts for our discomfort. His reckless driving accounted for the accident.
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Account_for
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
verb (used with object)
Idioms16.
to regard; consider as: I account myself well paid.
17.
to assign or impute (usually followed by to): the many virtues accounted to him.
18.
call to account,
a.
to hold accountable; blame; reprimand: Call them to account for having endangered their lives.
b.
ask for an explanation of.
19.
give a good/bad account of, to do something or conduct oneself in a good (bad, etc.) manner: She gave a good account of herself in the tennis tournament.
20.
hold to account, to hold responsible; hold accountable or culpable: If any of the silver is missing, I'm going to hold you to account.
21.
on account, as an installment or a partial payment: I can't pay the balance, but here's $10 on account.
22.
EXPAND23.
on all accounts, in any case; under any circumstances. Also, at all accounts.
24.
on no account, under no circumstances; absolutely not: On no account should you buy that painting without having it appraised.
25.
take account of,
a.
to make allowance for; consider: One must take account of the difficult circumstances. Taking account of the high overhead, the price is not excessive.
b.
Also, take into account.to notice or observe.
26.
COLLAPSEturn to account, to derive profit or use from; turn to advantage: She has turned her misfortunes to account.
Origin:
1225–75; (noun) Middle English a(c)ount(e), ac(c)ompte < Anglo-French, Old French aco(u)nte, acompte; (v.) Middle English ac(co)unten < Old French acunter, acompter. See ac-, count1
1225–75; (noun) Middle English a(c)ount(e), ac(c)ompte < Anglo-French, Old French aco(u)nte, acompte; (v.) Middle English ac(co)unten < Old French acunter, acompter. See ac-, count1
Related forms
pre·ac·count, verb
sub·ac·count, noun
un·ac·count·ed, adjective
Synonyms
1. report, chronicle. See narrative. 2. justification. 5. import, significance. 6. consideration.
1. report, chronicle. See narrative. 2. justification. 5. import, significance. 6. consideration.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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|
Link To account_for
Collins
World English Dictionary
| account for | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to give reasons for (an event, act, etc) |
| 2. | to make or provide a reckoning of (expenditure, payments, etc) |
| 3. | to be responsible for destroying, killing, or putting (people, aircraft, etc) out of action |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
account
c.1300, "reckoning of money received and paid;" from O.Fr. acont "account," from à "to" + cont "count," from L.L. computus "a calculation," from L. computare "calculate" (see compute). Sense of "narration" is first attested 1610s. The verb meaning "to reckon for money
EXPANDgiven or received" is from late 14c.; sense of "to explain" (c.1710) is from notion of "answer for money held in trust." Transf. sense of "value" is from late 14c. Pl. accounts used as a collective or sing. in phrases such as to give accounts (of something), mid-13c. Phrase by all accounts is attested from 1798. Accounting "reckoning of numbers" is from late 14c. Phrase no accounting for tastes (1823) translates L. de gustibus non est disputandum. Modern Fr. differentiates compter "to count" and conter "to tell," but they are cognates.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
account for
-
Be the determining factor in; cause. For example, The heat wave accounts for all this food spoilage, or Icy roads account for the increase in accidents.
-
Explain or justify, as in Jane was upset because her son couldn't account for the three hours between his last class and his arrival at home. Both of these related usages are derived from the literal meaning of the phrase, that is, "make a reckoning of an account." [Second half of 1700s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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