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. 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 ]

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 ]

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 ]