account (tosomeone) forsomething
phrasal verbwithaccountverb[T+ obj + noun/adj]formaluk/əˈkaʊnt/us/əˈkaʊnt/
C2
toexplainthereasonfor something or thecauseof something:
Can youaccountforyourabsencelastFriday?
She wasunabletoaccountfor over $5,000(= she could notexplainwhere themoneywas).
He has toaccountto hismanagerfor(=tellhismanagerabout andexplain)all hismovements.
to explain something
- explainCan you explain that again?
- clarifyLet me just clarify what I mean here.
- defineYour responsibilities are clearly defined in the contract.
- set outYour contract will set out the terms of your employment.
- set forthThe terms of the statute are set forth in Section I, Article 3.
- spell outThey sent me a letter spelling out the details of the agreement.
- There is £50missingfrom the till - how doaccountfor that?
- You will have toaccountforyourabsenceto theheadteacherin themorning.
- Sarah wasbulliedatschool, which mightaccountfor herbehaviournow.
- It'sdifficulttoaccountfor therecentincreaseinviolentcrime.
- Theprimeministerwill have toaccountto thewholenationfor hisdecision.
Defining & explaining
- accountability
- adumbration
- annotation
- annotator
- backspin
- crystallize
- demystify
- explicable
- explicate
- expound
- lay
- miswrite
- nail
- nailsomeonedown
- non-defining
- non-descriptive
- non-explanatory
- outline
- rough
- trace