Emily Dickinson Lexicon

AC-COUNT', n. [Fr. conte; It. conto; Sp. cuenta; Arm. count; an account, reckoning, computation. Formerly writers used accompt from the Fr. compte. See Count.]

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 xvi. Without responsibility or obligation. He giveth not account of his matters. – Job xxxiii.
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. What is the son of man that thou makest account of him. – Ps. cxliv.
8. Profit; advantage; that is, a result or production worthy of estimation. To find our account in a pursuit; to turn to account. – Philip. iv.
9. Regard; behalf; sake; a sense deduced from charges on book; as, on account of public affairs. Put that to my account. – Philem. 18. To make account, that is, to have a previous opinion or expectation, is a sense now obsolete. A writ of account, in law, is a writ which the plaintif brings demanding that the defendant should render his just account, or show good cause to the contrary; called also an action of account. – Cowel.