account

Definitions

ac- (a form of ad-, 'to') + count (reckon) = 'to reckon to someone' — to settle a tally with them. That running tally became a financial account; explaining the tally became 'an account' (a report); and 'account for' keeps the math sense of reckoning something in so the figures or facts add up.

Why It Means This

One word carrying money, story, and explanation feels strange until you see the common thread: all three are forms of settling the books. The ledger is the literal account; giving an account narrates how the ledger got that way; and accounting for something makes it 'add up,' whether you mean it caused the result or it makes up a share of the total.

Common Collocations

• 1.bank account银行账户
• 2.take account of考虑到
• 3.account for解释；占（比例）
• 4.on account of由于
• 5.by all accounts据大家所说

Example Sentences

• 1.

  She opened a savings account at the local bank.

• 2.

  He gave a detailed account of what happened that night.

• 3.

  Bad weather may account for the low turnout.

• 4.

  Online sales now account for half of our revenue.

Easily Confused

account for vs explain — 'account for' often means a cause makes the numbers work out (Rain accounts for the empty stadium) or makes up a share (X accounts for 30%); 'explain' is broader and purely about giving reasons. You can 'explain a theory,' but you don't 'account for a theory.'