- account for
Word forms "account for":
present tense I/you/we/they account for he/she/it accounts for present participle accounting for past tense accounted for past participle accounted for1) account for something to be the reason why something exists or happens
A number of factors account for the differences between the two scores.
The increase in carbon dioxide emissions may account for changes in the climate.2) account for someone/something to form, use, or produce a particular amount or part of a group of people or things
Electronic goods account for over 30% of our exports.3) account for something to give an explanation for something bad that has happened, especially something that you are responsible for
You will be brought before the disciplinary panel to account for your behaviour.
How do you account for this sudden improvement in his test scores?4) account for something[often passive] to say how you have used, or how you will use, an amount of money that you are responsible for spending, especially in your job
She had to account for every penny she spent.
Investors were told that over half their savings had vanished and could not be accounted for.5) account for someone[usually passive] if someone is accounted for, you know where they are and so do not worry that they are not where they should be
One small child was still not accounted for.6) there's no accounting for tastemainly spoken used for saying that you think what someone likes is strange
English dictionary. 2014.
Look at other dictionaries:
account for — give a satisfactory record or explanation of. → account account for succeed in killing or defeating. → account account for supply or make up (a specified amount). → account … English new terms dictionary
account for — (something) 1. to explain the reason for something. More police on the streets accounted for less street crime. 2. to form the total of an amount of something. In Florida, people over 60 account for more than 25 percent of the population … New idioms dictionary
account for — index enlighten, explain, exposit, justify, rationalize, solve, support (justify), vindicate … Law dictionary
account for — ► account for 1) supply or make up (a specified amount). 2) give a satisfactory record or explanation of. 3) succeed in killing or defeating. Main Entry: ↑account … English terms dictionary
account for — [v] offer reason, explanation answer for, clarify, elucidate, explain, illuminate, justify, rationalize, resolve; concept 57 Ant. underestimate … New thesaurus
account for — verb 1. be the reason or explanation for (Freq. 24) The recession accounts for the slow retail business • Hypernyms: ↑be • Verb Frames: Something s something 2. give reasons for (Freq. 6) … Useful english dictionary
account for — 1) PHRASAL VERB If a particular thing accounts for a part or proportion of something, that part or proportion consists of that thing, or is used or produced by it. [V P n] Computers account for 5% of the country s commercial electricity… … English dictionary
account for — 1) they must account for the delay Syn: explain, answer for, give reasons for, justify 2) excise duties account for over half the price Syn: constitute, make up, comprise, represent, be responsible for, produce … Synonyms and antonyms dictionary
account for — 1) they must account for the delay Syn: explain, answer for, give reasons for, rationalize, justify 2) taxes account for much of the price of gasoline Syn: constitute, make up, form, compose, represent … Thesaurus of popular words
account for — phr verb Account for is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑export, ↑import, ↑sale Account for is used with these nouns as the object: ↑discrepancy, ↑fact, ↑per cent, ↑variation … Collocations dictionary