n. [ OE. acount, account, accompt, OF. acont, fr. aconter. See Account, v. t., Count, n., 1. ] 1. A reckoning; computation; calculation; enumeration; a record of some reckoning; as, the Julian account of time. [ 1913 Webster ]

A beggarly account of empty boxes. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A registry of pecuniary transactions; a written or printed statement of business dealings or debts and credits, and also of other things subjected to a reckoning or review; as, to keep one's account at the bank. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A statement in general of reasons, causes, grounds, etc., explanatory of some event; as, no satisfactory account has been given of these phenomena. Hence, the word is often used simply for reason, ground, consideration, motive, etc.; as, on no account, on every account, on all accounts. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A statement of facts or occurrences; recital of transactions; a relation or narrative; a report; a description; as, an account of a battle. “A laudable account of the city of London.” Howell. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A statement and explanation or vindication of one's conduct with reference to judgment thereon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Give an account of thy stewardship. Luke xvi. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. An estimate or estimation; valuation; judgment. “To stand high in your account.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Importance; worth; value; advantage; profit. “Men of account.” Pope. “To turn to account.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Account current, a running or continued account between two or more parties, or a statement of the particulars of such an account. --
In account with, in a relation requiring an account to be kept. --
On account of, for the sake of; by reason of; because of. --
On one's own account, for one's own interest or behalf. --
To make account, to have an opinion or expectation; to reckon. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ] This other part . . . makes account to find no slender arguments for this assertion out of those very scriptures which are commonly urged against it. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] --
To make account of, to hold in estimation; to esteem; as, he makes small account of beauty. --
To take account of, or
to take into account, to take into consideration; to notice. “Of their doings, God takes no account.” Milton. --
A writ of account (Law), a writ which the plaintiff brings demanding that the defendant shall render his just account, or show good cause to the contrary; -- called also an action of account. Cowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Narrative; narration; relation; recital; description; explanation; rehearsal. -- Account, Narrative, Narration, Recital. These words are applied to different modes of rehearsing a series of events. Account turns attention not so much to the speaker as to the fact related, and more properly applies to the report of some single event, or a group of incidents taken as whole; as, an account of a battle, of a shipwreck, etc. A narrative is a continuous story of connected incidents, such as one friend might tell to another; as, a narrative of the events of a siege, a narrative of one's life, etc. Narration is usually the same as narrative, but is sometimes used to describe the mode of relating events; as, his powers of narration are uncommonly great. Recital denotes a series of events drawn out into minute particulars, usually expressing something which peculiarly interests the feelings of the speaker; as, the recital of one's wrongs, disappointments, sufferings, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Accounted; p. pr. & vb. n. Accounting. ] [ OE. acounten, accompten, OF. aconter, à (L. ad) + conter to count. F. conter to tell, compter to count, L. computare. See Count, v. t. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To reckon; to compute; to count. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The motion of . . . the sun whereby years are accounted. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To place to one's account; to put to the credit of; to assign; -- with to. [ R. ] Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To value, estimate, or hold in opinion; to judge or consider; to deem. [ 1913 Webster ]

Accounting that God was able to raise him up. Heb. xi. 19. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To recount; to relate. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To render or receive an account or relation of particulars; as, an officer must account with or to the treasurer for money received. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To render an account; to answer in judgment; -- with for; as, we must account for the use of our opportunities. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To give a satisfactory reason; to tell the cause of; to explain; -- with for; as, idleness accounts for poverty. [ 1913 Webster ]

To account of, to esteem; to prize; to value. Now used only in the passive. “I account of her beauty.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Newer was preaching more accounted of than in the sixteenth century. Canon Robinson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being accountable; liability to be called on to render an account; the obligation to bear the consequences for failure to perform as expected; accountableness. “The awful idea of accountability.” R. Hall.
Syn. -- answerability, answerableness [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Liable to be called on to render an account; answerable; as, every man is accountable to God for his conduct. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Capable of being accounted for; explicable. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

True religion . . . intelligible, rational, and accountable, -- not a burden but a privilege. B. Whichcote. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Amenable; responsible; liable; answerable. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being accountable; accountability. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an accountable manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The art or employment of an accountant. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. accomptant, OF. acontant, p. pr. ] 1. One who renders account; one accountable. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A reckoner. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. One who is skilled in, keeps, or adjusts, accounts; an officer in a public office, who has charge of the accounts. [ 1913 Webster ]

Accountatn general, the head or superintending accountant in certain public offices. Also, formerly, an officer in the English court of chancery who received the moneys paid into the court, and deposited them in the Bank of England. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Accountable. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Accountant + -ship. ] The office or employment of an accountant. [ 1913 Webster ]

A book in which accounts are kept. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OE. adaunten to overpower, OF. adonter; à (L. ad) + donter, F. dompter. See Daunt. ] To daunt; to subdue; to mitigate. [ Obs. ] Skelton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. & a. [ Pref. a- + flaunt. ] In a flaunting state or position. Copley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) same as African wild dog.
Syn. -- painted wolf, African hunting dog. [ PJC ]

n. See Alan. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Amounted; p. pr. & vb. n. Amounting. ] [ OF. amonter to increase, advance, ascend, fr. amont (equiv. to L. ad montem to the mountain) upward, F. amont up the river. See Mount, n. ] 1. To go up; to ascend. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

So up he rose, and thence amounted straight. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To rise or reach by an accumulation of particular sums or quantities; to come (to) in the aggregate or whole; -- with to or unto. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To rise, reach, or extend in effect, substance, or influence; to be equivalent; to come practically (to); as, the testimony amounts to very little. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To signify; to amount to. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The sum total of two or more sums or quantities; the aggregate; the whole quantity; a totality; as, the amount of 7 and 9 is 16; the amount of a bill; the amount of this year's revenue. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The effect, substance, value, significance, or result; the sum; as, the amount of the testimony is this. [ 1913 Webster ]

The whole amount of that enormous fame. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. With gaunt or slender legs. (?) “An armgaunt steed.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This word is peculiar to Shakespeare. Its meaning has not yet been satisfactorily explained. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } adv. [ F. autant as much (as possible). ] (Naut.) Fully rigged, as a vessel; with all sails set; set on end or set right. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Adamant. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Written in the table of athamaunt. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. ante, F. tante, L. amita father's sister. Cf. Amma. ] 1. The sister of one's father or mother; -- correlative to nephew or niece. Also applied to an uncle's wife. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Aunt is sometimes applied as a title or term of endearment to a kind elderly woman not thus related. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An old woman; and old gossip. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A bawd, or a prostitute. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Aunt Sally, a puppet head placed on a pole and having a pipe in its mouth; also a game, which consists in trying to hit the pipe by throwing short bludgeons at it. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } v. t. [ See Adventure. ] To venture; to dare. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Adventurous. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Adventure; hap. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

In aunters, perchance. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. A familiar name for an aunt. In the southern United States a familiar term applied to aged negro women. [ 1913 Webster ]

interj. [ F. avant forward, fr. L. ab + ante before. Cf. Avant, Advance. ] Begone; depart; -- a word of contempt or abhorrence, equivalent to the phrase “Get thee gone.” [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. 1. To advance; to move forward; to elevate. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To depart; to move away. [ Obs. ] Coverdale. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ OF. avanter; à (L. ad) + vanter. See Vaunt. ] To vaunt; to boast. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A vaunt; to boast. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. avanteur. ] A boaster. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Sp., fr. OSp. ayuntar to join. ] In Spain and Spanish America, a corporation or body of magistrates in cities and towns, corresponding to mayor and aldermen. [ 1913 Webster ]

. A sum equal to the interest at a given rate on the principal (face) of a bill or note from the time of discounting until it becomes due. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ Cf. Prov. G. bludde a dull or blunt knife, Dan. blunde to sleep, Sw. & Icel. blunda; or perh. akin to E. blind. ] 1. Having a thick edge or point, as an instrument; dull; not sharp. [ 1913 Webster ]

The murderous knife was dull and blunt. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Dull in understanding; slow of discernment; stupid; -- opposed to acute. [ 1913 Webster ]

His wits are not so blunt. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Abrupt in address; plain; unceremonious; wanting the forms of civility; rough in manners or speech. “Hiding his bitter jests in blunt behavior.” “A plain, blunt man.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Hard to impress or penetrate. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I find my heart hardened and blunt to new impressions. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Blunt is much used in composition, as blunt-edged, blunt-sighted, blunt-spoken. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Obtuse; dull; pointless; curt; short; coarse; rude; brusque; impolite; uncivil. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Blunted; p. pr. & vb. n. Blunting. ] 1. To dull the edge or point of, by making it thicker; to make blunt. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To repress or weaken, as any appetite, desire, or power of the mind; to impair the force, keenness, or susceptibility, of; as, to blunt the feelings. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A fencer's foil. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A short needle with a strong point. See Needle. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Money. [ Cant ] Beaconsfield. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. made dull or blunt.
Syn. -- dulled. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. reduced in force or effectiveness. [ PJC ]

a. Somewhat blunt. -- Blunt"ish*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

adv. In a blunt manner; coarsely; plainly; abruptly; without delicacy, or the usual forms of civility. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sometimes after bluntly giving his opinions, he would quietly lay himself asleep until the end of their deliberations. Jeffrey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Want of edge or point; dullness; obtuseness; lack of sharpness. [ 1913 Webster ]

The multitude of elements and bluntness of angles. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Abruptness of address; rude plainness. “Bluntness of speech.” Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Dull; stupid. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blunt-witted lord, ignoble in demeanor! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OE. bountevous, fr. bounte bounty. ] Liberal in charity; disposed to give freely; generously liberal; munificent; beneficent; free in bestowing gifts; as, bounteous production. [ 1913 Webster ]

But O, thou bounteous Giver of all good. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Boun"te*ous*ly, adv. -- Boun"te*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. rewarded or rewardable by a bounty; as, a bountied animal pelt. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Free in giving; liberal in bestowing gifts and favors. [ 1913 Webster ]

God, the bountiful Author of our being. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Plentiful; abundant; as, a bountiful supply of food. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Liberal; munificent; generous; bounteous. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Boun"ti*ful*ly, adv. -- Boun"ti*ful*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Bounties [ OE. bounte goodness, kindness, F. bonté, fr. L. bonitas, fr. bonus good, for older duonus; cf. Skr. duvas honor, respect. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Goodness, kindness; virtue; worth. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Nature set in her at once beauty with bounty. Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Liberality in bestowing gifts or favors; gracious or liberal giving; generosity; munificence. [ 1913 Webster ]

My bounty is as boundless as the sea. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is given generously or liberally. “Thy morning bounties.” Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A premium offered or given to induce men to enlist into the public service; or to encourage any branch of industry, as husbandry or manufactures. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bounty jumper, one who, during the latter part of the Civil War, enlisted in the United States service, and deserted as soon as possible after receiving the bounty. [ Collog. ] --
Queen Anne's bounty (Eng. Hist.), a provision made in Queen Anne's reign for augmenting poor clerical livings. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Munificence; generosity; beneficence. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. Goodness; generosity. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. brunt, bront, fr. Icel. bruna to rush; cf. Icel. brenna to burn. Cf. Burn, v. t. ] 1. The heat, or utmost violence, of an onset; the strength or greatest fury of any contention; as, the brunt of a battle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The force of a blow; shock; collision. “And heavy brunt of cannon ball.” Hudibras. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is instantly and irrecoverably scattered by our first brunt with some real affair of common life. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A fungus (Ustilago fœtida) which affects the ear of cereals, filling the grains with a fetid dust; -- also called pepperbrand. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Sw. bunt bundle, Dan. bundt, G. bund, E. bundle. ] (Naut.) The middle part, cavity, or belly of a sail; the part of a furled sail which is at the center of the yard. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]