account

noun

UK /əˈkaʊnt/

Word Forms

singular	account
plural	accounts

1
countable an arrangement in which a bank looks after your money. You can deposit (=put in) or withdraw (=take out) money when you need to
There was only £50 in his bank account.
an overdrawn account (=one from which you have taken more money than you have put in)
open an account:
How do I open an account (=start having an account) with your bank?
Synonyms and related words
Types of bank account
401(k)
account
bank account
See alsocurrent account
See alsosavings account
2
countable usually plurala detailed record that a business keeps of the money it receives and spends in a particular period of time
The accounts showed a loss of £498 million.
Synonyms and related words
Accounts, accountancy and accountants
account
accountancy
accountant
1. 2a
  
  accounts
  uncountable the part of an organization that keeps records of the money it receives and spends
  Synonyms and related words
  Accounts, accountancy and accountants
  account
  accountancy
  accountant
3
countable an arrangement you have with a shop or other business that allows you to pay for goods or services later
I have an account with Marks and Spencer.
Synonyms and related words
The activity of shopping
account
acquisition
a run on something
1. 3a
  a record showing how much you owe a shop or other business for goods or services that you have received
  settle an account (=pay the money that you owe):
  I’ll settle my account in the morning.
  Synonyms and related words
  The activity of shopping
  account
  acquisition
  a run on something
4
countable businessa company that regularly buys goods or services from another company
We now have over 30 major accounts.
Synonyms and related words
General types of business or company
account
acquisition
affiliate
5
countable an arrangement you have with a company or internet provider to use a service they provide
Do you have an email account?
Synonyms and related words
To do business and relating to doing business
account
after hours
asset
6
countable a written or spoken report about something that has happened
account of:
a brief account of the meeting
give an account of something:
He was too shocked to give a clear account of events.
eyewitness account (=a description of the details of an event given by someone who saw them):
an eyewitness account of a brutal beating
Synonyms and related words
Summaries
summary
précis
abstract
1. 6a
  a detailed description of how or why something happens
  The study aims to give an account of modern attitudes towards democracy.
  Synonyms and related words
  Descriptions and stories
  description
  story
  picture
Collocates
Adjectives frequently used with account
▪ blow-by-blow, brief, conflicting, detailed, eyewitness, first-hand, full, vivid
7
to turn/put something to good account
to use something to good advantage, to take advantage of something
Both Sourav and Shreyansh are voracious readers and they can turn such reading skills to good account in their economic research.
Submitted by:
Prakash Chandra Patel from India on 04/10/2016
Open Dictionary - October2016

phrases

bring/call/hold someone to account

by/from all accounts

by your own account

give a good account of yourself

of no account/of little account

on account

on someone’s account

on account of

on no account/not on any account

on your own account

on this/that account

settle an account/settle accounts

take account of something/take something into account

account

noun

US /əˈkaʊnt/

Word Forms

singular	account
plural	accounts

1
countable an arrangement in which a bank takes care of your money. You can deposit (=put in) or withdraw (=take out) money when you need to
There was only $50 in his bank account.
open an account:
How do I open an account (=start having an account) with your bank?
Synonyms and related words
Types of bank account
401(k)
account
bank account
See alsochecking account
See alsosavings account
2
countable a written or spoken report about something that has happened
account of:
a brief account of the meeting
give an account of something:
He was too shocked to give a clear account of events.
eyewitness account (=a description of the details of an event given by someone who saw them):
an eyewitness account of a brutal beating
Synonyms and related words
Summaries
summary
précis
abstract
1. 2a
  a detailed description of how or why something happens
  The study aims to give an account of modern attitudes toward democracy.
  Synonyms and related words
  Descriptions and stories
  description
  story
  picture
Collocates
Adjectives frequently used with account
▪ blow-by-blow, brief, conflicting, detailed, eyewitness, first-hand, full, vivid
3
countable an arrangement you have with a store or other business that allows you to pay for goods or services later
I have an account with Macy’s.
Synonyms and related words
The activity of shopping
account
acquisition
a run on something
1. 3a
  a record showing how much you owe a store or other business for goods or services that you have received
  settle an account (=pay the money that you owe):
  I’ll settle my account in the morning.
  Synonyms and related words
  The activity of shopping
  account
  acquisition
  a run on something
4
countable businessa company that regularly buys goods or services from another company
We now have over 30 major accounts.
Synonyms and related words
General types of business or company
account
acquisition
affiliate
5
countable an arrangement you have with a company or internet provider to use a service they provide
Do you have an e-mail account?
Synonyms and related words
To do business and relating to doing business
account
after hours
asset
6
countable usually plurala detailed record that a business keeps of the money it receives and spends in a particular period of time
The accounts showed a loss of $498 million.
Synonyms and related words
Accounts, accountancy and accountants
account
accountancy
accountant
1. 6a
  
  accounts
  uncountable the part of an organization that keeps records of the money it receives and spends
  Synonyms and related words
  Accounts, accountancy and accountants
  account
  accountancy
  accountant
7
to turn/put something to good account
to use something to good advantage, to take advantage of something
Both Sourav and Shreyansh are voracious readers and they can turn such reading skills to good account in their economic research.
Submitted by:
Prakash Chandra Patel from India on 04/10/2016
Open Dictionary - October2016

phrases

bring/call/hold someone to account

by/from all accounts

of no account/of little account

on account

on someone’s account

on account of

on no account/not on any account

on your own account

on this/that account

settle an account/settle accounts

take account of something/take something into account

account

verb

UK /əˈkaʊnt/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	account
he/she/it	accounts
present participle	accounting
past tense	accounted
past participle	accounted

phrasal verb

account for

transitive

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	account for
he/she/it	accounts for
present participle	accounting for
past tense	accounted for
past participle	accounted for

1
(account for something) to be the reason why something exists or happens
A number of factors account for the differences between the two scores.
The increase in carbon dioxide emissions may account for changes in the climate.
Synonyms and related words
To make something start to exist or happen
bring about
trigger
form
2
(account for someone/something) to form, use, or produce a particular amount or part of a group of people or things
Electronic goods account for over 30% of our exports.
Synonyms and related words
To reach a particular amount, point, or state
reach
come
come to
3
(account for something) to give an explanation for something bad that has happened, especially something that you are responsible for
You will be brought before the disciplinary panel to account for your behaviour.
How do you account for this sudden improvement in his test scores?
Synonyms and related words
To give a reason or excuse for something
explain
argue
excuse
4
often passive(account for something) to say how you have used, or how you will use, an amount of money that you are responsible for spending, especially in your job
She had to account for every penny she spent.
Investors were told that over half their savings had vanished and could not be accounted for.
Synonyms and related words
Accounts, accountancy and accountants
account
accountancy
accountant
5
usually passive(account for someone) if someone is accounted for, you know where they are and so do not worry that they are not where they should be
One small child was still not accounted for.
Synonyms and related words
Known and not secret
known
overt
transparent
6
there’s no accounting for tastemainly spokenused for saying that you think what someone likes is strange
Synonyms and related words
Unusual in a strange way
strange
funny
weird

account

verb

US /əˈkaʊnt/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	account
he/she/it	accounts
present participle	accounting
past tense	accounted
past participle	accounted

phrasal verb

account for

transitive

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	account for
he/she/it	accounts for
present participle	accounting for
past tense	accounted for
past participle	accounted for

1
(account for something) to be the reason why something exists or happens
A number of factors account for the differences between the two scores.
The increase in carbon dioxide emissions may account for changes in the climate.
Synonyms and related words
To make something start to exist or happen
bring about
start off
create
2
(account for something) to give an explanation for something bad that has happened, especially something that you are responsible for
You will be brought before the disciplinary panel to account for your actions.
How do you account for this sudden improvement in his test scores?
Synonyms and related words
To give a reason or excuse for something
explain
argue
excuse
3
(account for someone/something) to form, use, or produce a particular amount or part of a group of people or things
Electronic goods account for over 30% of our exports.
Synonyms and related words
To reach a particular amount, point, or state
reach
come
come to
4
often passive(account for something) to say how you have used, or how you will use, an amount of money that you are responsible for spending, especially in your job
She had to account for every cent she spent.
Investors were told that over half their savings had vanished and could not be accounted for.
Synonyms and related words
Accounts, accountancy and accountants
account
accountancy
accountant
5
usually passive(account for someone) if someone is accounted for, you know where they are and so do not worry that they are not where they should be
One small child was still not accounted for.
Synonyms and related words
Known and not secret
known
overt
transparent
6
there’s no accounting for tastemainly spokenused for saying that you think what someone likes is strange
Synonyms and related words
Unusual in a strange way
strange
funny
weird

account ​‌‌‌

accounts

to turn/put something to good account

account ​‌‌‌

accounts

to turn/put something to good account

account ​‌‌‌

account for

account ​‌‌‌

account for

account

account

account

account