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account

n. · v.
US //əˈkaʊnt// UK //ɐkˈaʊnt// ac·count
  1. 1 bank account (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    an arrangement with a bank where you keep your money.

    a formal arrangement with a financial institution to deposit and withdraw funds.

    Example

    I need to open a new savings account at the bank tomorrow.

    Example

    The auditor requested a full statement of the corporate account to verify the suspicious transactions reported last month.
    • bank account
  2. 2 a report or story (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a description of an event or something that happened.

    a narrative or record of events; a report describing a particular experience or situation.

    Example

    The witness gave a detailed account of the accident to the police.

    Example

    Her published account of the expedition provides a fascinating insight into the challenges of Arctic survival in the nineteenth century.
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  1. 3 digital profile (n.)
    A2 Elementary Computing

    your personal profile that lets you use a website or app.

    a set of credentials providing a specific user with authorised access to a computer system or online service.

    Example

    You must create an account before you can post comments on this site.

    Example

    The security protocol requires users to update their account passwords every ninety days to prevent unauthorised access to the database.
  2. 4 business client (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a regular customer or client of a business.

    a regular client or customer, especially one with whom a business has a credit arrangement.

    Example

    The advertising agency just signed a major new account with a car company.

    Example

    Losing the regional distribution account was a significant blow to the firm's projected revenue for the fiscal year.
  3. 5 importance (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Literary

    the quality of being important or valuable.

    importance, value, or worth; frequently used in the phrase 'of no account'.

    Example

    His opinion was of little account to the rest of the group.

    Example

    In the grand scheme of the negotiations, these minor disagreements were of no account compared to the primary trade dispute.
    • insignificance
  4. 6 to consider (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    to think of someone or something in a particular way.

    to consider or regard someone or something as being a certain way.

    Example

    The event was accounted a great success by everyone who attended.

    Example

    The project was accounted a failure by the board, despite the technical innovations it introduced during its development phase.
  5. 7 to explain (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to give a reason for something or explain why it happened.

    to provide an explanation or rationale for an occurrence; usually followed by 'for'.

    Example

    How do you account for the fact that the money is missing?

    Example

    The sudden shift in market sentiment is difficult to account for without considering the impact of the recent political instability.

    Usage

    Usually used as the phrasal verb 'account for'.
Etymology 1

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Old French a- Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Latin com- Proto-Italic *putos Latin putus? Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin putō Latin computō Old French conter Old French aconter Anglo-Norman acuntebor. Middle English acounte English account From Middle English acounte, from Anglo-Norman acunte (“account”), from Old French aconte, from aconter (“to reckon”), from Latin computō (“to sum up”).

Etymology 2

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Old French a- Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Latin com- Proto-Italic *putos Latin putus? Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin putō Latin computō Old French conter Old French aconterder. English account From Old French acounter, accomptere et al., from a- + conter (“to count”)). Compare count.

Word family
Idioms5 entries

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