Forms: 3 acunte(n, 4 acounte, 5–6 acompte, acownte, accompte, accounte, 6–7 accompt, 6– account. [a. OFr. acunte-r, aconte-r (Pr. acontar, acomtar):—late L. accomptā-re for *accomputā-re, f. ac- = ad- to + computā-re to calculate (f. com- together + putā-re to reckon). In 14th c. conter, in the original sense of computāre ‘count,’ began to be artificially respelt conpter, compter, after the Lat., the natural spelling conter remaining in the sense of narrāre ‘tell’; the variant spellings passed to aconter and Eng. account, accompt, though here with no corresponding division of meaning. The doubled -c- is part of the same refashioning.]
I. To count, reckon. Mostly Obs.
† 1. trans. To count, count up, enumerate. Obs.
1303. R. Brunne, Handlyng Synne, 6392. Þe katel was acountede More þan þe testament amountede.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls Ser.), I. 9. I schulde also write þe famous stories and acounte þe ȝeres from þe bygynnynge of þe world anon to oure tyme.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 78. He sigh The sterres such as he accompteth.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. vi. She gan acounte and caste well the tyme.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 78/4. I knowe wel that my fader and my moder acompte the dayes.
1582. Bentley, Monumt. Matrones, II. 1. My sinnes … in number are so manie … that I cannot account them.
† b. absol. To count, perform the act of counting. Obs.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 89. The wise man accompteth After the formal proprete Of algorismes a be, ce.
1631. Preston, Breastp. Love, 198. When men have knowledge onely to know, as they have money to account with, and not to buy and sell with.
1660. T. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 56/2. He said, the Greeks made no other use of Money but to account with it.
1776. Adam Smith, Wealth of Nat., I. I. x. 117. He [a grocer] must be able to read, write, and account.
† 2. trans. To calculate, reckon, compute. Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R. (1495), IX. iv. 349. The Grekes acounte tyme and yeres fro the fyrst Olympias.
1547. J. Harrison, Exhort. Scottes, 214. Wee accompt nobilitie by auncientie of yeres.
1571. Digges, Geom. Pract., I. xvii. It is also to be wayed how this difference of highnesse and lownesse is to be accompted.
1635. N. Carpenter, Geogr. Delin., II. xiv. 224. The second is accompted from the pole, the other is conceiued to lye betwixt both.
1692. Ray, Dissol. of World, 25. I suppose that the Deity doth account days of a thousand years long.
1766. Chalkley, Wks., 71. Which were to the Number of Forty-five, thus accounted.
1788. Marsden, in Phil. Trans., LXXVIII. 414. The era of the Mahometans, called by them the Hejerà, or Departure, is accounted from the year of the flight of Mahomet … from Mecca.
† b. To reckon in, count in; to include in an enumeration or reckoning. Obs.
1481. Caxton, Myrrour, I. vi. 29. The philosophres that thenne were … acompted but thre maner of peple in the world.
1586. T. Cogan, Haven of Health (1636), 159. Accounting the Lent season, and all fasting dayes in the yeare, together with Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, II. 372. By accounting of some part of the yeares of affliction … we have the just number of three hundred yeares.
1826. Southey, in Q. Rev., XXXIV. 335. They argued that Wales, Scotland, and Ireland ought to be accounted with England.
c. To reckon to, put to the credit of. rare.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., I. 115/1. Some account that yeare vnto his reigne, in the which his predecessors Osrike and Eaufride reigned.
1675. T. Brooks, Golden Key, Wks. 1867, V. 226. The imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us is a gracious act of God the Father, whereby as a judge he accounts believers’ sins unto the surety, as if he had committed the same.
1846. D. Jerrold, Chron. Clovernook, Wks. 1864, IV. 408. You have all sorts of graces accounted to you.
† d. To reckon or count on, expect. Obs.
1587. Turberville, Trag. Ta. (1837), 108. And selfe same day that he accompted on, to make Returne unto his mother’s house at Boline.
† e. To reckon or calculate that, to conclude. Obs.
1570. Barnabe Googe, Popish Kingdome, I. 2 b. For every man accompted sure, that after losse of life They should receyve eternall blisse, and heaven voyde of stryfe.
1667. Primatt, City & Country Builder, 32. It may be accompted that a yard of Earth square will make seven or eight hundred of Bricks.
II. To render a reckoning.
3. intr. To reckon for moneys given or received, to render or receive an account.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XII. 298. Þe reyue oþer þe conterroller · þat rekene mot and acounte Of al þat þei hauen had.
c. 1550. Cheke, Matt. xviii. 23. Lijk vnto a man which is a king which wold come to accompt with his servants.
1687. Royal Order, 27 Nov., in Lond. Gaz., mmccxcviii/1. And that they do likewise Accompt every two Months with each Soldier for Six-Pence per Week more.
1714. Ellwood, Autobiog., 260. To take a journey into Kent and Sussex, to Accompt with their Tenants, and overlook their Estates.
1780. Burke, Sp. Econ. Ref., Wks. III. 296. We have a long succession of paymasters and their representatives, who have never been admitted to account, although perfectly ready to do so.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. IV. v. 189. Both insisted upon the fact, that Ramnarain was ready to account fairly.
b. trans. To render account of.
1614. Selden, Titl. Honor, 243. Before him as Chief Justice were all suits determined, crimes examined, the Crown-reuenue accompted, and whatsoeuer done, which, to so great iurisdiction was competent.
1868. M. Pattison, Academ. Organ., § 2. 42. All receipts should be accounted to a finance committee.
4. To account for: a. lit. To render an account or reckoning of money held in trust; hence, b. to answer for discharge of duty or conduct.
1679. Penn, Addr. Prot., I. § 8. 41 (1692). If every poor Soul must Account for the Employment of the small Talent he has received from God.
a. 1700. Dryden, Juv. Sat., xiii. At once accounting for his deep arrears.
1706. Atterbury, Funeral Serm. Bennet, in 14 Sermons (1708), 370. They have no uneasy Presages of a Future Reckoning, wherein the Pleasures they now taste, must be accounted for.
c. To give a satisfactory reason for, to explain.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journey (1778), I. 190. Mr. Shandy … accounted for nothing like anybody else.
1770. Junius Lett., xli. 214. How will you account for the conclusion?
1794. Sullivan, View of Nat., I. 209. In accounting for the monsoons, however, it is necessary to mark the peculiar circumstances which obtain in the Indian Ocean.
1800. Mrs. R. Trench, Rem., 86. I dined also again with the Arnsteins, who I see hate the Austrian government. She is a Prussian, and according to the late cant phrase ‘That accounts for it.’
1860. Tyndall, Glaciers, II. § 4. 248. Having thus accounted for the greater cold of the higher atmospheric regions.
d. in sporting phrase: To answer for the fate of, be the death of, make away with.
1842. Thackeray, Van. Fair, II. xx. The persecuted animals bolted above ground: the terrier accounted for one, the keeper for another.
1858. Lett. fr. Lahore, 28 Sept., in Times, 19 Nov. In the course of one week they were hunted up and accounted for; and you know that in Punjab phraseology ‘accounting for’ means the extreme fate due to mutineers.
III. To estimate, consider.
† 5. trans. To take into account, or consideration; to consider. Obs.
1400[?]. Roberd of Cysilee, 26, in Hazl., E. P. P., I. 270. The kynge thoght he had no pere For to acownte, nodur far nor nere.
1486. Caxton, Curial, 7. They acompte not the pryckkyng that he hath felt in the pourchassyng of it.
6. trans. To reckon, estimate, value, hold (a thing to be so and so). a. with simple complement.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XI. 15. And bad me for my contenaunce Acounten clergie light. Ibid., XIX. 410. Neuere man þat acounted conscience at a cokkes fether or a hennes.
1470. Malory, Morte d’Arthur (1817), II. iv. That ony shold be accounted more hardy or more of prowesse.
1563. Myrroure for Mag. (ed. 2), Blacksm., xxxiv. 4. Which of all wreckes we should accompt the worst.
1579. Lyly, Euphues, 80. In the meane season accompt me thy friend.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., IV. i. 417. And I deliuering you, am satisfied, And therein doe account my selfe well paid.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., Democr. to Reader, 36. We accompt Germanes heavy dull fellowes.
1653. Walton, Angler, 86. A Trout … that is accounted rare meat.
1728. Newton, Chronol. Amended, i. 123. Chronologers … account Phidon the seventh from Temenus.
1827. Scott, Highl. Widow, I. 169. The Lowland herds and harvests they accounted their own.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Revol. (1872), I. I. i. 2. Fortune was ever accounted inconstant.
1865. Mill, Liberty, ii. 24/1. By Christianity I here mean what is accounted such by all churches and sects—the maxims and precepts contained in the New Testament.
† b. with as, for. Obs.
1480. Caxton, Descr. Ireland (1520), 6/1. [It] is acounted for a myracle that lechery reygnethe not there as wyne reygneth.
1558. Bp. Watson, Seven Sacr., i. 5. [He] would the holle church shoulde accompt him as a faythful soldiour.
1566. Adlington, trans. Apuleius, 9. Milo is called an elder man and accompted as chiefe of those whiche dwel without the walles of the Citie.
1586. T. Cogan, Haven of Health (1636), 170. It may seeme to be flesh, except you would account it as a Syren or Mermayden, that is halfe fish and halfe flesh.
1611. Bible, Rom. viii. 36. Wee are accounted as sheepe for the slaughter.
1630. Prynne, Anti-Arm., 118. Accounting it for a slaue, whereas it is a Lord, a King.
1660. Fuller, Mixt. Contempl. (1841), 211. To contest and contend who shall be accounted for the greatest.
1674. Playford, Musick, III. 1. Unison, Eighth, Fifteenth, are accounted as one, for every Eighth is the same.
c. with inf. or subord. cl.
1558. Bp. Watson, Seven Sacr., i. 4. He shall be of all the armie accompted to haue bene a faithful soldiour.
a. 1593. H. Smith, Wks. (1867), II. 65. She accounted the glory of God to be taken from Israel.
1611. Bible, 2 Peter iii. 15. Account that the long suffering of the Lord is saluation.
a. 1626. Bacon, Use Com. Law, 42. The Father shall there bee accompted to die without heire.
1669. Bunyan, Holy Citie, 165. Those precious Stones, Paul accounts to be those that are converted by the Word.
1864. J. H. Newman, Apologia, App. 22. I account no man to be a philosopher who attempts to do more.
† d. rarely with on. Obs.
1614. B. Rich, Honestie of this Age (1844), 57. I think bribery is no sinne at all; or if it be, it is but veniall, a light offence, a matter of no reckoning to account on.
1646. J. G[regory], Notes & Obs. (1650), 5. It is plainly void and supernumerary, and an escape not fit to be accounted upon the Sagenesse of that translation.
7. To account of: To estimate, value, esteem; to think much, little, nothing, etc., of a thing. (Now only in the passive.)
c. 1369. Chaucer, Dethe of Blaunche, 1237. God wote she acounted nat a stree Or al my tale, so thoght me.
1587. Harrison, England (1877), I. 2. ii. 38. The see of Canturburie … whose archbishop … is most accompted of commonlie.
1589. Beard, trans. La Primaudaye’s Fr. Acad., 334. For everie beast is accounted of according to his vertue.
1611. Bible, 1 Kings x. 21. None were of siluer, it was nothing accounted of in the dayes of Solomon.
1649. Selden, Laws of Eng. (1739), I. xvi. 32. [They] thereby taught Princes to account of Canons but as Notions.
1684. R. Waller, Ess. Nat. Exper., 45. This Experiment is not to be much accounted of.
1829. I. Taylor, Enthus. (1867), § 4. 76. They are nothing to be accounted of.
1853. Lynch, Self-Impr., v. 104. Let him not be accounted of, unless he has a backbone of character.
1863. Canon Robinson, in Macm. Mag., March, 410. Never was preaching more accounted of than in the sixteenth century.
† IV. To recount, narrate. Obs.
† 8. To recount, relate. Obs. a. trans.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Monkes T., 715. Why schuld thyn infortune I nought accounte, Syn in astaat thou clombe were so hye.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, b 1. Thensample of the doughters of the king of denmarke which I shall acompte to yow. Ibid. (1485), Charles the Gr. (1880), 175. A messager departed … for tacompte and telle the tydynges.
1563. Foxe, A. & M., 762 b. I was bolde to accompte vnto them mery tales of my mysery in pryson.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., III. vi. 30. Long worke it were Here to account the endlesse progeny Of all the weeds that bud and blossome there.
† b. intr.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 160. To accompte Of hem was tho the grete fame.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XIII. 5443. To acounte of þe kynges,—Caras was on, And Nestor another.
