account for

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account for

The manager asked the employee to account for the missing inventory.

Definition
  1. Verb (Transitive):
    • To provide a reason or explanation for something; to give a satisfactory record or justification. This meaning focuses on explaining the cause or reason behind an event, action, or situation.
    • To be the cause or source of something; to constitute a specific part or proportion of a whole. This meaning describes something being responsible for a result or making up a particular amount or percentage.
Usage and Examples

  • Verb (Providing a reason/explanation):

    • The suspect could not account for his whereabouts on the night of the crime.
    • How do you account for the sudden drop in sales this quarter?
    • The manager asked her to account for every penny spent on the project.

  • Verb (Being the cause or proportion):

    • Online sales now account for over 60% of our total revenue.
    • The new tax policy accounts for the increased cost of living.
    • Which factor accounts for the greatest risk in this scenario?
Advanced Usage
  • "to have to account for oneself": To be required to explain one's actions, decisions, or behavior, often to someone in authority.
    • The CEO will have to account for herself to the board of directors.
  • In formal or financial contexts, "account for" can mean to record or document items in a detailed statement.
    • The clerk must account for all inventory at the end of the day.
Variants and Related Words
  • Accountable (adj): Responsible and expected to justify actions or decisions.
    • Managers are held accountable for their team's performance.
  • Accounting (n): The systematic practice of recording, analyzing, and reporting financial transactions.
  • Account (n): A report, description, or financial record.
Synonyms
  • Explain: To make something clear or understandable.
  • Justify: To show or prove to be right or reasonable.
  • Constitute: To be a part of a whole; to form or make up.
  • Explain away: To dismiss or minimize through explanation (often with a slightly negative connotation).
Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions
  • Call someone to account (for something): To demand that someone explain their actions.
    • The journalist was called to account for the errors in her report.
  • Hold someone accountable (for something): To consider someone responsible and subject to giving an explanation.
    • The public will hold politicians accountable for their promises.
Related Idioms
  • There's no accounting for taste: Used to say that it is impossible to explain why people like or prefer certain things, especially things you do not like. (Note: This idiom uses a related form "accounting for").
    • He loves that garish painting, but I suppose there's no accounting for taste.
account for

The manager asked the employee to account for the missing inventory.

Verb
  1. give reasons for
    • Can you account for all these absences?
  2. be the reason or explanation for
    • The recession accounts for the slow retail business