1. A sum stated on paper; a registry of a debt or credit; of debts and credits, or charges; an entry in a book or on paper of things bought or sold, of payments, services _c., including the names of the parties to the transaction, date, and price or value of the thing.

Account signifies a single entry or charge, or a statement of a number of particular debts and credits, in a book or on a separate paper; and in the plural, is used for the books containing such entries.

2. A computation of debts and credits, or a general statement of particular sums; as, the account stands thus; let him exhibit his account.

3. A computation or mode of reckoning; applied to other things, than money or trade; as the Julian account of time.

4. Narrative; relation; statement of facts; recital of particular transactions and events, verbal or written; as an account of the revolution in France. Hence,

5. An assignment of reasons; explanation by a recital of particular transactions, given by a person in an employment, or to a superior, often implying responsibility.

Give an account of thy stewardship. Luke 16.

Without responsibility or obligation.

He giveth not account of his matters. Job 33.

6. Reason or consideration, as a motive; as on all accounts, on every account.

7. Value; importance; estimation; that is, such a state of persons or things, as renders them worthy of more or less estimation; as men of account of him. Psa 144.

8. Profit; advantage; that is, a result or production worthy of estimation. To find our account in a pursuit; to turn to account.

9. Regard; behalf; sake; a sense deduced from charges on book; as on account of public affairs.

Put that to mine account. Phile 18.

To make account, that is, to have a pervious opinion or expectation, is a sense now obsolete.

A writ of account, in law, is a writ which the plaintiff brings demanding that the defendant should render his just account, or show good cause to the contrary; call also an action of account.

, v.i.

1. To render an account or relation of particulars. An officer must account with or to the Treasurer for money received.

2. To give reasons; to assign the causes; to explain; with for; as, idleness accounts for poverty.

3. To render reasons; to answer for in a responsible character.

We must account for all the talents entrusted to us.