account Definition

account
noun

1. A description or report.

Thesaurus: narrative, story, tale, recital, chronicle, description, version, record, report.
2. An explanation, especially of one's behaviour.
3a. An arrangement by which a bank or building society allows a person to have banking or credit facilities;
3b. A deposit of money in a bank or building society.
4. A statement of the money owed to a person or company for goods or services.
5. A record of money received and spent.

Form: accounts (usually)
6. An arrangement by which a shop allows a person to buy goods on credit and pay for them later.
7. stock exchange.
The period of time (usually a fortnight) by the end of which accounts must be settled.
8. A company or a specific area of business within a company which is dealt with by a PR firm or an advertising agency.
9. Importance or value.

Example: of little or no account

verb

accounted, accounting
1. formal
To consider someone or something to be as specified.
Example: accounted them all fools
Thesaurus: reckon, assess, consider, estimate, count, gauge, appraise, rate, value, weigh.

Idiom: bring someone to account

To punish them for something wrong that has been done.

Idiom: by all accounts

According to general opinion.

Idiom: call someone to account

To demand an explanation from them for their action or behaviour.

Idiom: give a good account of oneself (give a poor account of oneself)

To give a good or bad performance; to make a good or bad impression.

Idiom: hold someone to account

To consider them responsible.

Idiom: leave something out of account

Not to consider (a problem, factor, etc) when making a decision, calculation, etc.

Idiom: on account

Said of goods: to be paid for at a later date.

Said of a sum: as partial payment.

Idiom: on account of something

Because of it.

Idiom: on no account

Not for any reason.

Idiom: on one's own account

On one's own responsibility.

For one's own benefit.

Idiom: on someone's account

On their behalf; for their sake.

Idiom: put something to good account

To use a situation, ability, etc to one's advantage.

Idiom: take something into account (take account of something)

To make allowances for or consider (a problem, opinion or other factor) when making a decision or assessment.

Idiom: turn something to good account

To use it to one's advantage.

Etymology: 14c as acont in senses 4, 5, 9 and in basic sense ‘counting or reckoning': from French aconter to count.

Phrasal Verb: account for something

To give a reason or explanation for it.To make or give a reckoning of (money spent, etc).

Phrasal Verb: account for something or someone

To succeed in destroying or disposing of it or them.