account

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /ə'kaʊnt/
• SAMPA: /@"kaUnt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ac‧count

Noun

Singular account

Plural accounts

1. (countable) An account is an arrangement with a bank or other company to do business.

   I opened a bank account when I moved into town.

   The internet company cancelled my e-mail account.

2. (countable) The records of the money that is paid or received. (often plural)

   The accounts show that your bill has already been paid.

3. (countable) A description of events

   The account that he gave didn't match the story that was in the newspaper.

4. (uncountable) If you take something into account, you think about it when you decide something.

   Effective leaders have to take account of everyone's feelings.

Synonyms

• (description): story, telling
• reason
• bill
• report
• credit
• version
• balance

Related words

• accounting
• count
• on account of
• by all accounts Also from all accounts
• on somebody's account
• on your own account
• on no account
• bring somebody to account Also call somebody to account
• give a good/poor account of yourself
• of little/no account

Verb

Plain form account

Third-person singular accounts

Past tense accounted

Past participle accounted

Present participle accounting

1. (intransitive) If $x$ accounts for some part of $y$, $x$ makes up that part of $y$.

   Payments to employees account for 73% of our budget.

2. (intransitive) If $x$ accounts for $y$, it explains why $y$ happens or exists.

   Oh, she was sick. Well, that accounts for her poor test score.

Synonyms

• (make up): constitute, make up
• (explain): explain