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historical account

historical account

3 3.5
A written or spoken record of past events
  • noun
  • /hɪˈstɔːrɪkəl əˈkaʊnt/
translation icon : relato histórico
  • After reading various historical accounts, the students better understood the events that shaped their country.
  • read a historical account
  • give a historical account
  • provides a historical account

Examples

  • The museum displayed several historical accounts detailing the major battles of World War II.

  • Many historical accounts provide insight into how ancient civilizations lived and interacted.

  • The historian's voice, in other historical accounts, is sometimes more difficult to recognize.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Warning shots and bells are not included in historical accounts of the ride, either.

    Blog text (5)
  • The government's historical accounts present different reasons for their presidential rage.

  • Our students are always interested in well-written historical accounts with voice.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Christian theology, however, cannot simply rest satisfied with a historical account of revelation.

    Academic text (2002)
  • Fortunately, researchers have found another source of information on comets: historical accounts from hundreds or thousands of years ago.

    Academic text (1996)
  • Students learn to recognize the subjective factors that are embedded in every historical account.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Each argues that the traditional historical accounts of World War II, such as those defended by veterans, deserve revision.

    Academic text (1996)

Synonyms

record
vshistorical account
2.5

A paper or file that gives information about past events

focuses on past reporting rather than the assembled evidence itself
history
vshistorical account
899 1.0

An account of past events about a person or place

is any past report and not limited to a specific theme or group
account
vshistorical account
466 3.0

A report that describes what happened

is specifically about events from the past rather than any event
narrative
vshistorical account
336 3.9

A story that describes connected events

is focused on past factual reporting rather than imaginative telling
chronicle
vshistorical account
95 5.8

A written record of past events in the order they happened

is any past report not limited to ordered factual lists
relation
vshistorical account
38 3.9

A spoken or written description of what happened

is concentrated on past events rather than any kind of narration
narration
vshistorical account
23 3.4

Telling a story or describing events

is the end product reporting past events rather than the telling act
historical record
vshistorical account
18 3.3

A written document that gives reliable information about past events

is a general report of past events without claiming special authenticity
historical document
vshistorical account
6 3.5

A record from the past that helps us learn about people or events

is a broader past report rather than a single significant paper
written record
vshistorical account
5 3.4

A document that keeps proof of facts or events

is a past report that can be spoken or written, not only a document
recounting
vshistorical account
3 3.8

An account of events told in detail

is the resulting report about past events, not the act of telling
written account
vshistorical account
1 3.2

A paper that describes events so people can read about them later

can be either spoken or written and need not be preserved on paper
chronological record
vshistorical account
1 5.0

A list that shows events in the order they happened, often with dates

is broader covering past reports not confined to strict time order
narratio
vshistorical account
9.9

A spoken or written story that explains events

is tied to past events specifically rather than general explanatory speech

Antonyms

106 3.4

Made up in stories or in your mind, not real

How Detailed

history
899 1.0
historical account
3 3.5
to chronicle
70 5.7
report
1.3
summary
3.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

historical + account

The phrase combines the adjective 'historical' (pertaining to past events) with the noun 'account' (a description or record), so its meaning—a description or record of past events—is directly compositional from the constituents. This adjective+noun pattern is a standard, cross-linguistically common construction, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Historical account combines historical (about the past) and account (an old word meaning 'a telling' or 'story'). Think of someone clearly telling the events of long ago—this is a 'record' of past events, so a historical account means a written or spoken record of what happened in the past.