a :to give a reason or explanation for (something)解釋;說明
Eventually, you will need to account for your actions/behavior.你終究得對自己的行爲做出解釋。
How do you account for [=explain] your success?你認爲自己是怎樣取得成功的?
◊ The informal saying there's no accounting for taste means that there is no way to understand why some people like something while other people do not.人各有所好;蘿蔔青菜各有所愛。
I don't see why they liked the movie, but there's no accounting for taste.我不明白他們爲什麽喜歡這部電影,不過人各有所好嘛。
b :to be the cause of (something)引起;導致
The disease accounted for over 10,000 deaths last year.去年,這種病導致1萬多人死亡。
These new features account for the computer's higher price.這些新功能使得這款電腦價格較高。
The disease cannot be accounted for [=explained] by genetics alone. There must be other causes as well.僅從遺傳學的角度難以解釋這種疾病,一定還有其他病因。
c :to make up or form (a part of something)組成
Women account for [=constitute, compose] only 25 percent of our employees.女員工僅佔我們員工總數的25%。
d US:to think about (something) before doing something:to take (something) into consideration將…納入考慮範圍
The researchers failed to account for the fact that most of the students were poor.研究者沒有考慮這樣一個事實:這些學生大部分都很窮。
2
account for (someone or something)
a :to show what happened to (someone or something)對…做出說明;對做出解釋
We have to account for the time [=to say how much time] we spend on each activity.我們得對花在每一項活動上的時間加以說明。
I'll have to account for the money I spent.我得說明那些錢我是怎麽花的。
:to know the location of (someone or something)知道下落;明白去處
The government couldn't account for millions of dollars of the taxpayers' money.政府無法說明將納稅人數百萬的資金用在何處。
Is everyone accounted for? [=do we know where everyone is?]所有人的下落都知道了嗎?
All present and accounted for. [=everyone who is supposed to be here is here]該到的人都到齊了。
b :to destroy or kill (someone or something)摧毀;消滅
Enemy fighters have accounted for most of our bombers, Sir.長官,敵機摧毀了我們的大部分轟炸機。
alsochiefly British:to defeat or beat (someone or something)擊敗;戰勝
We accounted for [=dispatched] the challengers 3-2.我們以3:2擊敗了挑戰者。