the act of giving an account describing incidents or a course of events; "his narration was hesitant" [syn: narration]
2.
performance of music or dance especially by soloists
3.
a public instance of reciting or repeating (from memory) something prepared in advance; "the program included songs and recitations of well-loved poems" [syn: recitation]
4.
a detailed statement giving facts and figures; "his wife gave a recital of his infidelities"
5.
a detailed account or description of something; "he was forced to listen to a recital of his many shortcomings"
Ac*count"\, n. [OE. acount, account, accompt, OF. acont, fr. aconter. See Account, v. t., Count, n., 1.]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. Account current, a running or continued account between two or more parties, or a statement of the particulars of such an account. In account with, in a relation requiring an account to be kept. On account of, for the sake of; by reason of; because of. On one's own account, for one's own interest or behalf. To make account, to have an opinion or expectation; to reckon. [Obs.] This other part . . . makes account to find no slender arguments for this assertion out of those very scriptures which are commonly urged against it. --Milton. To make account of, to hold in estimation; to esteem; as, he makes small account of beauty. To take account of, or to take into account, to take into consideration; to notice. "Of their doings, God takes no account." --Milton . A writ of account (Law), a writ which the plaintiff brings demanding that the defendant shall render his just account, or show good cause to the contrary; -- called also an action of account. --Cowell. Syn: Narrative; narration; relation; recital; description; explanation; rehearsal. Usage: 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.
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