Definition

1. Noun:

   • A report or description of an event or experience: A spoken or written narrative that tells what happened.
   • A record of financial transactions, typically held by a bank or business: A statement of debits and credits, or the arrangement itself.
   • Importance or value: The worth, significance, or estimation of someone or something.
   • A reason or basis for an action: An explanation or justification for something.
   • A business arrangement with a company for regular services: A contractual relationship for services like banking, email, or shopping.

2. Verb:

   • To explain or provide a reason for: To give a justifying analysis or explanation for something.
   • To consider or regard in a specified way: To think of someone or something in a particular manner.
   • To be the primary cause or source of: To constitute a specified amount or proportion of something.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • She gave a detailed account of her trip to the mountains. (A narrative report)
  • I need to check my bank account balance. (A financial record)
  • His opinion is of little account to me. (Importance or value)
  • On account of the rain, the picnic was canceled. (Reason or basis)
  • I have an account with an online retailer. (A service arrangement)

• Verb:

  • How do you account for your absence yesterday? (To explain)
  • He is accounted a reliable person by his colleagues. (To regard)
  • Sales to Europe account for 60% of our revenue. (To constitute)

Advanced Usage

• "To take something into account" / "To take account of something": To consider or include a particular fact when making a decision or judgment.
  • The design must take account of the users' needs.
• "To give a good account of oneself": To perform well, especially in a difficult situation.
  • The team gave a good account of themselves against the champions.
• "On no account": Under no circumstances; absolutely not.
  • On no account should you open that door.
• "By all accounts": According to what everyone says.
  • By all accounts, the concert was a great success.

Variants and Related Words

• Accountable (adjective): Required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible.
  • Managers are accountable for their team's performance.
• Accountant (noun): A person whose job is to keep or inspect financial accounts.
• Accounting (noun): The systematic process of recording and reporting financial transactions.
• Accountancy (noun): The profession or duties of an accountant.

Synonyms

• Noun (Report): description, report, story, narration, version.
• Noun (Financial record): statement, ledger, balance sheet.
• Noun (Reason): reason, grounds, basis, cause.
• Verb (Explain): explain, justify, answer for, rationalize.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Account for:
  • To explain the reason for something.

    • Can you account for the missing files?
  • To be the cause of or constitute a part of something.

    • This single error accounts for the system failure.
  • To give a record of how money has been spent.

    • You must account for all travel expenses.

Related Idioms

• To settle an old account: To get revenge for something done in the past.
• To be brought/called to account: To be required to explain one's actions, especially failures or misdeeds.
  • The minister was finally called to account for the scandal.
• To turn/put something to good account: To use something to one's advantage.
  • She turned her language skills to good account in her new job.

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