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.
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.
5. A statement and explanation or vindication of one's conduct with reference to judgment thereon. Give an account of thy stewardship. Luke xvi. 2.
6. An estimate or estimation; valuation; judgment. "To stand high in your account." Shak.
7. Importance; worth; value; advantage; profit. "Men of account." Pope. "To turn to account." Shak. 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.] s other part . . . makes account to find no slender arguments for this assertion out of those very scriptures which are commonly urged against it. Milton. — 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.
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.
1. To reckon; to compute; to count. [Obs.] The motion of . . . the sun whereby years are accounted. Sir T. Browne.
2. To place to one's account; to put to the credit of; to assign; — with to. [R.] Clarendon.
3. To value, estimate, or hold in opinion; to judge or consider; to deem. Accounting that God was able to raise him up. Heb. xi. 19.
4. To recount; to relate. [Obs.] Chaucer.