account

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 ]