account

An arrangement with a bank or company that lets you keep money or use its services.

• I opened a bank account.
• How much money is in your account?
• We closed our account with that company.

How to use it: an account with something (She has an account with the local bank.)

Common phrases: bank account, open an account, savings account

Written information showing money a person or business receives and spends.

• The accounts show all our expenses.
• An accountant checks the company accounts each year.
• She found a mistake in last month’s accounts.

Similar words: books, financial records

Common phrases: company account, annual account, check an account, file an account

A spoken or written description of what happened.

• He gave a clear account of the trip.
• Their accounts of the meeting were very different.
• We read a survivor’s account of the storm.

How to use it: an account of something (She gave an account of the accident.)

Similar words: description, report, narrative

Common phrases: give an account, detailed account, eyewitness account

Used in expressions about considering something when making a decision.

• Please take the cost into account.
• We took account of everyone’s views.
• Did you take the travel time into account?

How to use it: take something into account (We must take your needs into account.); take account of something (The plan takes account of the weather.)

Similar words: consideration

Common phrases: take into account, take account of

An explanation of why something happened or why someone acted in a certain way.

• We need an account of why this happened.
• Her theory gives a convincing account of the changes.
• No satisfactory account of his decision has been offered.

How to use it: an account of something (The theory offers an account of how these changes happened.)

Similar words: explanation

Common phrases: satisfactory account, convincing account, account of something

To form a particular part or amount of a total.

• Rent accounts for half my income.
• Online orders accounted for most sales last year.
• How much of the budget does transport account for?

How to use it: account for an amount/share of something (Food costs account for a quarter of our spending.)

Similar words: make up, constitute, represent

Common phrases: account for half, account for something

To explain why something happens or is true.

• The rain accounts for the empty streets.
• His illness accounted for his absence.
• Can this theory account for the different results?

How to use it: account for something (Heavy traffic accounts for the delay.)

Similar words: explain

Common phrases: account for something, account for differences

To show how money received has been spent or managed.

• You must account for the missing money.
• She accounted for every penny she received.
• The officer accounts to the treasurer for all expenses.

How to use it: account for money/funds (You must account for every payment.); account to someone for something (The manager must account to the board for the funds spent.)

Similar words: justify, give an accounting of

Common phrases: account for funds, account to someone