资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.

            A beggarly account of empty boxes.    --Shak.

   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.

   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.]

            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.

   {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.

   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.