1. A narrative or record of events. 2a. A reason given for a particular action or event: What is the account for this loss?b. A report relating to one's conduct: gave a satisfactory account of herself.c. A basis or ground: no reason to worry on that account.3.abbr.a/c or acct.a. A formal banking, brokerage, or business relationship established to provide for regular services, dealings, and other financial transactions. b. A precise list or enumeration of financial transactions. c. Money deposited for checking, savings, or brokerage use. d. A customer having a business or credit relationship with a firm: salespeople visiting their accounts.4. Worth, standing, or importance: a landowner of some account.5. Profit or advantage: turned her writing skills to good account.
TRANSITIVE VERB:
Inflected forms: ac·count·ed, ac·count·ing, ac·counts To consider as being; deem. See synonyms at consider. See Usage Note at as1.
PHRASAL VERB:
account for1. To constitute the governing or primary factor in: Bad weather accounted for the long delay.2. To provide an explanation or justification for: The suspect couldn't account for his time that night.
IDIOMS:
call to account1. To challenge or contest. 2. To hold answerable for. on account On credit. on account of Because of; for the sake of: “We got married on account of the baby” (Anne Tyler).on no account Under no circumstances. on (one's) own account1. For oneself. 2. On one's own; by oneself: He wants to work on his own account.take into account To take into consideration; allow for.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old French acont, from aconter, to reckon : a-, to (from Latin ad-; see ad–) + cunter, to count (from Latin computre, to sum up; see compute).
-kount
re, to sum up; see compute).
