account for
The phrase "account for" is versatile and used in various contexts to explain, quantify, or take responsibility for something.
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🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
B2General
(common)To provide an explanation or justification for something.
Example
- Can you account for your absence last Friday?
- She had to account for the missing funds.
C1Statistics
(technical)To make up or constitute a certain amount or proportion of something.
Example
- The wealthy 10% of the population account for half of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions.
C1Military
(formal, specific)To be responsible for the destruction or death of something or someone.
Example
- Enemy fighters have accounted for most of our bombers, Sir.
C1British English
(informal, regional)To defeat or beat someone or something in a competition.
Example
- We accounted for the challengers 3–2.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "account for":
on accountallow foron someone's accounttime accounton account ofreckon withcast accountsreckon forcast up one's accountsreckon up