account and describe share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. account means “a record or narrative description of past events”. describe means “give a description of”. account is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/əˈkaʊnt/
1.n.a record or narrative description of past events
“a history of France”
2.n.a short account of the news
“the report of his speech”
3.n.a formal contractual relationship established to provide for regular banking or brokerage or business services
“he asked to see the executive who handled his account”
/dɪˈskɹaɪb/
1.v.give a description of
“He drew an elaborate plan of attack”
2.v.to give an account or representation of in words
“Discreet Italian police described it in a manner typically continental”
3.v.make a mark or lines on a surface
“draw a line”
| account | describe | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /əˈkaʊnt/ | /dɪˈskɹaɪb/ |
| Said | uh-KOWNT | di-SKRAHYB |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 7 | 8 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | verb |
| Senses | 14 | 4 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | history, chronicle, story | depict, draw |
Full entry for account · Full entry for describe · More comparisons