account for

British  

verb

1. to give reasons for (an event, act, etc)

2. to make or provide a reckoning of (expenditure, payments, etc)

3. to be responsible for destroying, killing, or putting (people, aircraft, etc) out of action

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account for Idioms  

1. Be the determining factor in; cause. For example, The heat wave accounts for all this food spoilage , or Icy roads account for the increase in accidents .

2. Explain or justify, as in Jane was upset because her son couldn't account for the three hours between his last class and his arrival at home . Both of these related usages are derived from the literal meaning of the phrase, that is, “make a reckoning of an account.” [Second half of 1700s]

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Example Sentences

Dubai's airport and seaport account for about 60 percent of the emirate's revenues, official estimates show.

From Barron's

Semiconductor shipments—accounting for over a quarter of total exports—more than doubled from a year earlier to a record $25.16 billion in February, outweighing declines in auto, petrochemical and steel shipments, the data showed.

From The Wall Street Journal

The kingdom, which accounts for most of the petroleum flowing through Hormuz, also shipped more crude to overseas storage.

From The Wall Street Journal

Crude oil is the single biggest component of the price that drivers pay at the pump, accounting for over half the retail cost of gasoline.

From Barron's

Crude oil is the single biggest component of the price that drivers pay at the pump, accounting for over half the retail cost of gasoline.

From Barron's