account

1 of 2

noun

ac·​count ə-ˈkau̇nt 

1

a

: a record of debit (see debit entry 2 sense 1a) and credit (see credit entry 1 sense 2d) entries to cover transactions involving a particular item or a particular person or concern

b

: a statement of transactions during a fiscal period and the resulting balance

c

archaic : reckoning, computation

2

a

: a statement explaining one's conduct

She was asked to give an account of her actions.

b

: a statement or exposition of reasons, causes, or motives

no satisfactory account of these phenomena

c

: a reason for an action : basis

On that account I must refuse.

3

a(1)

: a formal business arrangement providing for regular dealings or services (such as banking, advertising, or store credit) and involving the establishment and maintenance of an account

a checking account

also : client, customer

They are one of our most important accounts.

(2)

: money deposited in a bank account and subject to withdrawal by the depositor

b

: an arrangement in which a person uses the Internet or email services of a particular company

4

a

: value, importance

It's of no account to me.

b

: esteem

stood high in their account

5

: advantage

turned her wit to good account

6

a

: careful thought : consideration

factoring all of these issues into account

see also take account of

b

: a usually mental record : track

Keep account of all you do.

7

: a description of facts, conditions, or events : report, narrative

the newspaper account of the fire

By all accounts they're well-off.

also : performance

a straightforward account of the sonata

account

2 of 2

verb

accounted; accounting; accounts

intransitive verb

1

: to furnish a justifying analysis or explanation

—used with for

couldn't account for the loss

2

a

: to be the sole or primary factor

—used with for

The left fielder accounted for all three putouts.

b

: to bring about the capture, death, or destruction of something

—used with for

Enemy fighters accounted for two of the bombers.

transitive verb

1

: to think of as : consider

accounts himself lucky

2

: to probe into : analyze

Phrases

give a good account of oneself

: to perform well especially in a competition or confrontation : to acquit oneself well

Though he has an aristocratic bearing, he could probably give a good account of himself in a street fight.

—Ishmael Reed

on account

: with the price charged to one's account

purchasing on account

on account of

: for the sake of : because of

The game was cancelled on account of rain.

on no account

: under no circumstances

On no account should the children be left alone at home.

on one's own account

1

: on one's own behalf

I'm doing it on my own account, not for anyone else.

2

: at one's own risk

3

: by oneself : on one's own

Synonyms

Noun

• chronicle
• chronology
• commentary
• commentaries
• history
• narration
• narrative
• record
• report
• story

Verb

• call
• consider
• count
• esteem
• hold
• look (on or upon)
• rate
• reckon
• regard
• set down
• view

Examples of account in a Sentence

Noun

the difference between the debit and credit sides of an account

We always keep very good accounts.

We opened new accounts at a bank last week.

I took out my money and closed my account.

You can withdraw up to $1,000 a day from your account.

Every week, she puts a part of her paycheck into a separate account.

setting up a bank account

Verb

account themselves lucky to be alive

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

To put that another way, if large accounts post about a series, then this can seriously sway how other people see it. —Callum Booth, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

After marrying a president and becoming an Assad the by all accounts dazzling Syrian First Lady vowed to use her analytical and business skills to change the image of Syria, inside and out. —Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024

Verb

In the United States, the top 10 busiest shopping days account for approximately 30% to 40% of all holiday retail traffic, according to Sensormatic Solutions, which tracks foot traffic at retail stores. —Christopher Rugaber and Anne D’innocenzio, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024

Medicaid accounts for more than $600 billion a year in federal spending and covers 81 million people, according to KFF. —Kate Gibson, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English acounte, accompt, borrowed from Anglo-French acunte, acounte, noun derivative of acunter "to account entry 2"

Verb

Middle English accounten, acounten, accompten "to count, compute, evaluate, give an account of," borrowed from Anglo-French acunter, acompter, from a-, prefix forming transitive verbs (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + cunter, compter "to count entry 1"

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1c

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing account

• account executive
• account for (someone or something)
• account for (something)
• account manager
• account payable
• account receivable
• bring to account
• burner account
• by one's own account
• call to account
• charge account
• checking account
• credit account
• current account
• deposit account
• discretionary account
• drawing account
• expense account
• hold to account
• income account
• individual retirement account
• joint account
• money of account
• no-account
• not on any account
• on someone's account
• savings account
• settle one's account
• suspense account
• take account of
• take into account
• turn (something) to (good) account

Kids Definition

account

1 of 2 noun

ac·​count ə-ˈkau̇nt 

1

: a record of money paid out and money received

2

: a statement listing purchases and credits : bill

3

a

: value entry 1 sense 3

a man of little account

b

: regard entry 1 sense 2a

held in high account

4

: profit entry 1 sense 1, advantage

labored to no account

5

a

: a statement of reasons, causes, or motives

gave an account of her actions

b

: a statement of facts

accounts of the game

c

: a reason for an action

on that account I must refuse

6

a

: a sum of money deposited in a bank

b

: an arrangement in which a person uses the Internet or email services of a particular company

account

2 of 2 verb

1

: to think of as

accounts herself lucky

2

: to give an explanation

have to account for the money I spent

3

: to be the cause

illness accounts for so many absences

Etymology

Noun

Middle English acount, accompt "the act or result of counting," from early French acunte (same meaning), from acunter (verb) "to add, count," from a- "to" and cunter "to count," from Latin computare "to count, compute" — related to compute, count entry 1

Legal Definition

account

1 of 2 noun

ac·​count

1

a

: a record of debit and credit entries to cover transactions involving a particular item (as cash or notes receivable) or a particular person or concern

b

: a statement of transactions during a fiscal period showing the resulting balance

—sometimes used in the pl.

trustees filed annual accounts as required by statute

—W. M. McGovern, Jr. et al.

2

: a periodically rendered reckoning (as one listing charged purchases and credits)

3

: a sum of money or its equivalent deposited in the common cash of a bank and subject to withdrawal at the option of the depositor

4

: a right under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code to payment for goods or services which is not contained in an instrument or chattel paper and that may or may not have been earned by performance

account

2 of 2 intransitive verb

: to give a financial account

a duty to account