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account definition

ac·count (ə ko̵unt′)

transitive verb

to consider or judge to be; deem; value

Etymology: ME acounten < OFr aconter < a-, to + conter, to tell < compter < L computare: see compute

intransitive verb

  1. to furnish a reckoning (to someone) of money received and paid out
  2. to make satisfactory amends (for) he will account for his crime
  3. to give satisfactory reasons or an explanation (for) can he account for his actions?
  4. to be the cause, agent, or source of: with for
  5. to do away with as by killing: with for he accounted for five of the enemy

noun

  1. a counting; calculation
  2. a record of the financial data pertaining to a specific asset, liability, income item, expense item, or net-worth item
  3. bank account
    1. a record of the financial transactions relating to a specific person, property, business, etc.
    2. charge account
    3. a business or firm that is a customer or client, esp. on a regular, credit basis one of our best accounts
  5. worth; importance a thing of small account
  6. an explanation
  7. a report; description; story
account Idioms

call to account

  1. to demand an explanation of
  2. to reprimand

give a good account of oneself

to acquit oneself creditably

on account

  1. on a charge account; on the installment plan
  2. as partial payment

on someone's account

for someone's sake

on account of

  1. because of
  2. for (someone's) sake

on no account

not under any circumstances

take account of

  1. to take into consideration; allow for
  2. to take notice of; note

take into account

to take into consideration

turn to account

to get use or profit from

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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