Definition of "account for"

account for

verb
third-person singular simple present accounts for, present participle accounting for, simple past and past participle accounted for
1. (transitive) To explain by relating circumstances; to show that some one, thing or members of a group are present or have been processed.
  Quotations
  “ […] But there are still four cartridges in the revolver. Two have been fired and two wounds inflicted, so that each bullet can be accounted for.”
  a. 1905, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, “The Adventure of the Dancing Men”, in The Return of Sherlock Holmes, W. R. Caldwell & Co. (1905), page 78
2. (transitive) To be the primary cause of
3. (transitive) To constitute in amount or portion.
  Quotations
  ... and car strikes account for more than 50000, it's obvious the wolves' effect on the state's deer herd is so small as to be meaningless.
  1992 November 15, “Scientists monitoring return of wolves to Upper Pennisula”, in Chicago Tribune
4. (transitive) To make or render a reckoning of funds, persons, or things.
  Quotations
  When you deduct the direct and indirect costs, the picture looks a little different. Only mail and coal traffic generated a net revenue when accounting for all costs, not just direct operating costs.
  2023 March 8, Gareth Dennis, “The Reshaping of things to come...”, in RAIL, number 978, page 46
5. (transitive) To be answerable for.
6. (transitive) To destroy or put out of action.
  Quotations
  Allied Air Forces Account for 34 Axis Aircraft
  1942 October 11, “Check of Fortress, Liberator Raid At Lille Reveals High Enemy Loss”, in Hartford Courant
  South Vietnamese counter-attacks helped account for 239 guerrillas reported killed in the 24 hours ending at 6 today, 86 of them in allied air attacks
  1972 February 22, “Jet Missile Downs Mig In Dogfight”, in The Bulletin

Definition of "account for"

account for

verb

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