4 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Account \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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Account \Ac*count"\, v. i.
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.
{To account of}, to esteem; to prize; to value. Now used only
in the passive. ``I account of her beauty.'' --Shak.
Newer was preaching more accounted of than in the
sixteenth century. --Canon
Robinson.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Account \Ac*count"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Accounted}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Accounting}.] [OE. acounten, accompten, OF. aconter,
[`a] (L. ad) + conter to count. F. conter to tell, compter to
count, L. computare. See {Count}, v. t.]
1. To reckon; to compute; to count. [Obs.]
The motion of . . . the sun whereby years are
accounted. --Sir T.
Browne.
2. To place to one's account; to put to the credit of; to
assign; -- with to. [R.] --Clarendon.
3. 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.
4. To recount; to relate. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
account
n 1: a formal contractual relationship established to provide for
regular banking or brokerage or business services; "he
asked to see the executive who handled his account"
[syn: {business relationship}]
2: the act of informing by verbal report; "he heard reports
that they were causing trouble"; "by all accounts they
were a happy couple" [syn: {report}]
3: a record or narrative description of past events; "a history
of France"; "he gave an inaccurate account of the plot to
kill the president"; "the story of exposure to lead" [syn:
{history}, {chronicle}, {story}]
4: a short account of the news; "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" [syn: {report}, {news report}, {story},
{write up}]
5: a statement of recent transactions and the resulting
balance; "they send me an accounting every month" [syn: {accounting},
{account statement}]
6: a statement that makes something comprehensible by
describing the relevant structure or operation or
circumstances etc.; "the explanation was very simple"; "I
expected a brief account" [syn: {explanation}]
7: an itemized statement of money owed for goods shipped or
services rendered; "he paid his bill and left"; "send me
an account of what I owe" [syn: {bill}, {invoice}]
8: grounds; "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" [syn: {score}]
9: importance or value; "a person of considerable account"; "he
predicted that although it is of small account now it will
rapidly increase in importance"
10: the quality of taking advantage; "she turned her writing
skills to good account"
v 1: 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"
2: keep an account of [syn: {calculate}]
3: to give an account or representation of in words; "Discreet
Italian police described it in a manner typically
continental" [syn: {report}, {describe}]
4: furnish a justifying analysis or explanation; "I can't
account for the missing money" [syn: {answer for}]