Account \Ac*count"\, 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.
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A beggarly account of empty boxes. --Shak.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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5. A statement and explanation or vindication of one's
conduct with reference to judgment thereon.
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Give an account of thy stewardship. --Luke xvi. 2.
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6. An estimate or estimation; valuation; judgment. "To stand
high in your account." --Shak.
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7. Importance; worth; value; advantage; profit. "Men of
account." --Pope. "To turn to account." --Shak.
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{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 ones own account}, for one's own interest or behalf.
{To make account}, to have an opinion or expectation; to
reckon. [Obs.]
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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.
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{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.
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Syn: Narrative; narration; relation; recital; description;
explanation; rehearsal.
Usage: {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.
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