The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

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.
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            A beggarly account of empty boxes.    --Shak.
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   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.
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   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.
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   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.
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   5. A statement and explanation or vindication of one's
      conduct with reference to judgment thereon.
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            Give an account of thy stewardship.   --Luke xvi. 2.
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   6. An estimate or estimation; valuation; judgment. "To stand
      high in your account." --Shak.
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   7. Importance; worth; value; advantage; profit. "Men of
      account." --Pope. "To turn to account." --Shak.
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   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.]
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            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.
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   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.
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   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.
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