account

/ə'kaunt/

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Word: Account

Part of Speech: Noun and Verb

Definitions:

1. As a Noun:

   • Financial Statement: An itemized statement of money owed for goods shipped or services rendered.
   • Report or Description: A written or spoken report that tells what happened in a situation.
   • Importance: Refers to the significance or value of something.
   • Record of Transactions: A statement that lists recent transactions and the resulting balance in a financial context.

2. As a Verb:

   • To Explain: To provide a reason or explanation for something.
   • To Represent: To describe something in words.

Usage Instructions:

• Use "account" when referring to financial statements, reports of events, or when discussing the importance of someone or something.
• As a verb, use it when you need to explain or justify a situation.

Advanced Usage:

• In Banking: "He asked to see the executive who handled his account." (This refers to a formal relationship with a bank or business.)
• In Reporting: "The account of the incident was covered by several news outlets." (This means different news sources reported on the same event.)

Word Variants:

• Accountable (adjective): Responsible or answerable for something.
  • Example: "She is accountable for her team's performance."
• Accounting (noun): The process or work of keeping financial records.
  • Example: "He studied accounting in college."

Different Meanings:

• On Account Of: This phrase means because of or due to.
  • Example: "He missed the meeting on account of illness."
• Of No Account: This means something is considered unimportant.
  • Example: "His opinion is of no account in this matter."

Synonyms:

• For Financial Context: Statement, bill, invoice.
• For Report Context: Narrative, description, report.
• For Importance: Significance, value, worth.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• On my account: Used to indicate that something is being done because of you.
  • Example: "Don't change your plans on my account."
• Account for: To explain or justify something.
  • Example: "Can you account for the missing funds?"

Academic

Noun

1. the quality of taking advantage
   • she turned her writing skills to good account
2. 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
3. the act of informing by verbal report
   • he heard reports that they were causing trouble
   • by all accounts they were a happy couple
4. a statement of recent transactions and the resulting balance
   • they send me an accounting every month
5. importance or value
   • a person of considerable account
   • he predicted that although it is of small account now it will rapidly increase in importance
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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
9. 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
10. 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

Verb

1. furnish a justifying analysis or explanation
   • I can't account for the missing money
2. to give an account or representation of in words
   • Discreet Italian police described it in a manner typically continental
3. keep an account of
4. 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

Synonyms

• bill
• invoice
• report
• accounting
• account statement
• score
• explanation
• business relationship
• news report
• story
• write up
• history
• chronicle
• answer for
• describe
• calculate