account for something

phrasal verbphr v

a) BEto form a particular amount or part of something 占〔一定数量或比例〕

Afro-Americans account for 12% of the US population.

非裔美国人占美国人口的12%。

b) REASONto be the reason why something happens 是…的原因 SYN explain

Recent pressure at work may account for his behavior.

他的行为也许是最近的工作压力导致的。

c) REASONto give a satisfactory explanation of why something has happened or why you did something 解释，说明 SYN explain

Can you account for your movements on that night?

你能说明一下你那天晚上的行踪吗？

d) HEREto say where all the members of a group of people or things are, especially because you are worried that some of them may be lost 说明…在何处

Three days after the earthquake, more than 150 people had still to be accounted for.

地震发生3天后，仍有150多人下落不明。

Examples from the Corpus

account for • These occupations now account for 37. 6 percent of all workers.• In the whole of 1995, imports accounted for 58 % compared with 57 % in 1994.• This accounts for 90 percent of reported pollution incidents.• The King claimed that all the funds acquired through the passport sales had been accounted for.• Higher education accounts for about 13 percent of general fund expenditures.• The high-handed way in which Washington dropped the idea on its Western partners accounts for some the hostile reaction it has received.• The company said it will write off $ 80 million in inventory to account for the expected lower selling prices.• A similar mechanism may perhaps account for the fact that some group-living animals drive sick or injured individuals out of the group.

→ account for something at account2(1)