account
noun OPAL WOPAL S
/əˈkaʊnt/
/əˈkaʊnt/
Idioms - (abbreviation a/c especially in British English, North American English usually acct.)an arrangement that somebody has with a bank, etc. to keep money there, take some out, etc.
- I don't have a bank account.
- I paid the money into my savings account.
- a joint account (= one in the name of more than one person)
- With internet banking you can manage your account online.
- account with somebody/something Do you have an account with us?
- account at something He opened an account at a bank in Germany.
- Interest will be paid monthly into the account holder's current account.
- What's your account number please?
Wordfinder- account
- balance
- bank
- credit
- debit
- deposit
- interest
- loan
- statement
- withdrawal
Collocations FinanceFinanceIncomesee also bank account, budget account, checking account, current account, deposit account, numbered account, savings account- earn money/cash/(informal) a fortune/the minimum wage/a living wage
- make money/a fortune/(informal) a killing on the stock market
- acquire/inherit/amass wealth/a fortune
- build up funds/savings
- get/receive/leave (somebody) an inheritance/a legacy
- live on a low wage/a fixed income/a pension
- get/receive/draw/collect a pension
- depend/be dependent on (British English) benefits/(North American English) welfare/social security
- spend money/your savings/(informal) a fortune on…
- invest/put your savings in…
- throw away/waste/ (informal) shell out money on…
- lose your money/inheritance/pension
- use up/ (informal) wipe out all your savings
- pay (in) cash
- use/pay by a credit/debit/contactless card
- pay by/make out a/write somebody a/accept a (British English) cheque/(US English) check
- change/exchange money/currency
- give/pay/leave (somebody) a deposit
- have/hold/open/close/freeze a bank account/an account
- credit/debit/pay something into/take money out of your account
- deposit money/funds in your account
- withdraw money/cash/£30 from an ATM, etc.
- (formal) make a deposit/withdrawal
- find/go to/use (especially North American English) an ATM/(British English) a cash machine/dispenser
- be in credit/in debit/in the black/in the red/overdrawn
- use a mobile/an online banking app/platform/service
- manage/handle/plan/run/ (especially British English) sort out your finances
- plan/manage/work out/stick to a budget
- offer/extend credit (to somebody)
- arrange/take out a loan/an overdraft
- pay back/repay money/a loan/a debt
- pay for something in (especially British English) instalments/(North American English usually) installments
- get into debt/financial difficulties
- be short of/ (informal) be strapped for cash
- run out of/owe money
- face/get/ (informal) be landed with a bill for £…
- can’t afford the cost of…/payments/rent
- fall behind with/ (especially North American English) fall behind on the mortgage/repayments/rent
- incur/run up/accumulate debts
- tackle/reduce/settle your debts
Extra ExamplesTopics Moneyb1- She deposited the check in her account.
- I have a savings account with a building society.
- I paid the cheque into my current account.
- Your account is overdrawn.
- They have a numbered account in Switzerland.
- The money will be credited to your account tomorrow.
- She opened a savings account at the bank.
- She had taken all her money out of her account.
- My husband and I have separate accounts.
- I'd like to open an account, please.
- I have an account with another bank.
- Go and see the manager of the bank where your account is held.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- bank
- building-society
- checking
- …
- have
- hold
- close
- …
- number
- holder
- balance
- …
- account at
- account with
- an arrangement that somebody has with a company that allows them to use the internet, send and receive messages by email, social media, etc.
- an email/a Twitter account
- Millions of accounts have been hacked.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- expense
- charge
- credit
- …
- have
- create
- open
- …
- on account
- account at
- account with
- …
- a written or spoken description of something that has happened
- an eyewitness account (= a description given by somebody who saw what happened)
- a first-hand/personal/first-person account
- account of something Can you give us an account of what happened?
- The diaries contained a detailed account of the writer's experiences in China.
Synonyms reportreport- story
- account
- version
- report a written or spoken account of an event, especially one that is published or broadcast:
- Are these newspaper reports true?
- story an account, often spoken, of what happened to somebody or of how something happened; a report of events in a newspaper, magazine or news broadcast:
- It was many years before the full story was made public.
- the front-page story
- account a written or spoken description of something that has happened:
- She gave the police a full account of the incident.
- version a description of an event from the point of view of a particular person or group of people:
- She gave us her version of what had happened that day.
- a report/story about something
- a brief/short report/story/account
- a full report/story/account/version
- a news report/story
- to give a(n) report/account/version
Extra Examples- Dr Richards describes this very well in his account of the events.
- He gave us a blow-by-blow account of the incident.
- She received a glowing account of her son's progress.
- the newspaper account of the trial
- She gave the police a full account of the incident.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- brief
- short
- blow-by-blow
- …
- give (somebody)
- offer
- provide (somebody with)
- …
- in an/the account
- by all accounts
- by somebody’s own account
- account (of something) an explanation or a description of an idea, a theory or a process
- the Biblical account of the creation of the world
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- brief
- short
- blow-by-blow
- …
- give (somebody)
- offer
- provide (somebody with)
- …
- in an/the account
- by all accounts
- by somebody’s own account
- [usually plural] a written record of money that is owed to a business and of money that has been paid by it
- to do the accounts
- to keep the accounts up to date
- the accounts department
- She works in Accounts (= the accounts department).
Extra ExamplesTopics Moneyb2- Try to keep accurate accounts.
- The accounts are all in order.
- Your accounts will need to be submitted to the tax office.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- profit and loss account
- accounts payable
- accounts receivable
- …
- do
- keep
- audit
- …
- be in order
- account book
- account balance
- (British English also credit account)(North American English also charge account)an arrangement with a shop or business to pay bills for goods or services at a later time, for example in regular amounts every month
- Put it on my account please.
- We have accounts with most of our suppliers.
- Log in to your account to see how much you have spent.
Synonyms billbillsee also charge account, credit account- account
- invoice
- check
- bill a list of goods that you have bought or services that you have used, showing how much you owe; the price or cost of something:
- the gas bill
- account an arrangement with a shop or business to pay bills for goods or services at a later time, for example in regular amounts every month:
- Put it on my account please.
- invoice (rather formal) a bill for goods that somebody has bought or work that has been done for somebody:
- The builders sent an invoice for £250.
- check (North American English) a piece of paper that shows how much you have to pay for the food and drinks that you have had in a restaurant:
- Can I have the check, please?
- the bill/invoice/check for something
- to pay/settle a(n) bill/account/invoice/check
- to put something on the/somebody’s bill/account/invoice/check
Extra ExamplesTopics Shoppingb2- Charge this to my account, please.
- an account with a large store
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- expense
- charge
- credit
- …
- have
- create
- open
- …
- on account
- account at
- account with
- …
- (British English) a bill for goods or services provided over a period
- Departing guests should settle their accounts at the office.
- It is best to settle the account each month.
- (business) a regular customer
- The agency has lost several of its most important accounts.
at bank
computing
description
business records
with shop
bill
regular customer
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘counting’, ‘to count’): from Old French acont (noun), aconter (verb), based on conter ‘to count’.
Idioms
a blow-by-blow account, description, etc. (of something)
- (informal) a description of an event that gives you all the details in the order in which they happen
- He insisted on giving us a blow-by-blow account of what had happened.
by/from all accounts
- according to what other people say
- I've never been there, but it's a lovely place, by all accounts.
by your own account
- according to what you say yourself
- By his own account he had an unhappy childhood.
call somebody to account (for/over something)
- to make somebody explain a mistake, etc. because they are responsible for it
give a good account of yourself
- (British English) to do something or perform well, especially in a contest
- The team gave a good account of themselves in the match.
of no/little account
- (formal) not important
- Emotional matters were of no account to them during the war.
on account
- if you buy something or pay on account, you pay nothing or only a small amount immediately and the rest later
- Call a cab on account.
- Ring for a cab on account.
- She bought the furniture she wanted on account.
on somebody’s account
- because of what you think somebody wants
- Please don't change your plans on my account.
on account of somebody/something
- because of somebody/something
- She retired early on account of ill health.
- The marsh is an area of great scientific interest on account of its wild flowers.
Language Bank because ofbecause ofExplaining reasonsTopics Change, cause and effectc1- The number of people with diabetes is growing, partly because of an increase in levels of obesity.
- The number of overweight children has increased dramatically in recent years, largely as a result of changes in diet and lifestyle.
- The increase in childhood obesity is largely due to/the result of changes in lifestyle and diet over the last twenty years.
- Many obese children are bullied at school on account of their weight.
- Part of the problem with treating childhood obesity stems from the fact that parents do not always recognize that their children are obese.
- Childhood obesity may be caused by genetic factors, as well as environmental ones.
on no account | not on any account
- (used to emphasize something) not for any reason
- On no account should the house be left unlocked.
on your own account
- for yourself
- In 2012 Smith set up in business on his own account.
- because you want to and you have decided, not somebody else
- No one sent me. I am here on my own account.
on this/that account
- (formal) because of the particular thing that has been mentioned
- Weather conditions were poor, but he did not delay his departure on that account.
put/turn something to good account
- (formal) to use something in a good or helpful way
- He turned his artistic talents to good account by becoming a sculptor.
settle a score/accounts (with somebody) | settle an old score
- to hurt or punish somebody who has harmed or cheated you in the past
- ‘Who would do such a thing?’ ‘Maybe someone with an old score to settle.’
- An embittered Charlotte is determined to settle accounts with Elizabeth.
take account of something | take something into account
- to consider particular facts, circumstances, etc. when making a decision about something
- The company takes account of environmental issues wherever possible.
- Coursework is taken into account as well as exam results.