accountant,a.andn.|əˈkaʊntənt|Also accomptant.[a. (15th c.)Fr.accomptant (OFr.acuntant),pr.pple.of accompter, acunter: see account v.]†A.adj.Giving or liable to give an account; accountable, responsible. (In early usage with plural -s.) Obs.1494Fabyan vii. 366He admytted to that offyce William de Hadestok & Anketyll de Aluerun, and sware theym to be accomptauntes, as theyr predecessours were.1603Shakes.Meas.for M. ii. iv. 86His offence is so, as it appeares Accountant to the Law, vpon that paine.1604―Oth.ii. i. 231Peraduenture I stand accomptant for as great a sin.1611SpeedHist.Gt.Brit.(1632) ix. ix. 605[It]was no reason why he should not stand accountant to the Son.1622DonneSerm.cxxiv. V. 225He..that is accomptant for their souls.1649SeldenLawsEng.i. lxvii. 176 (1739)The Guardian in Socage remaineth accomptant to the Heir, for all profits both of Land and Marriage.B.n.1.One who renders or is liable to render account; one accountable or responsible. In Law, the defendant in action of Account. (In earliest instances not separable fromprec.adj.; afterwards a truen.Thepl.was sometimes corruptly accomptance,Fr.accomptans;cf.accidents, -nce, acquaintants, -nce.)1453Ld.le Scrope in Test.Eborac. (1855) II. 192Acquyt and discharged of ony dett yat yei, or ony of yaime, owe me, except foreyne accomptaunts and seruaunts accomptaunts.1523FitzherbertSurveying 30 a,All the mynistre and partyculer accomptes of euery baylye or reue and other accomptance.Ibid.30 b,If the accomptance bring him perfyte rentals and court roles.1613Life Wm. Conq. in Sel.fr. Harl.Misc.(1793) 23Committed to prison; not as bishop of Bayonne, but as earl of Kent, and as an accomptant to the king.1630R. BrathwaitEng.Gent. (1641) 223They must be accomptants in that great assize where neither greatnesse shall bee a subterfuge to guiltinesse, nor their descent plead priviledge for those many houres they have mis-spent.1649SeldenLawsEng.ii. xx. 98 (1739)He took away the course of farming of Sheriff-wicks, and make the Sheriffs bare accountants for the Annual profits.1708ChamberlayneGrt.Brit.(1743) i. ii. ii. 46All accomptants to him for any of his Revenues.1745FleetwoodChron.Precios.App.17The said accomptant chargeth himself with arrearages.1809TomlinsLawDict.s.v.Account,It is no plea by an accomptant that he was robbed.1844WilliamsRealProp.Law (1877) 91Any crown debtor, or accountant to the crown.1865Times 17 Aug.,An ‘imprest’ means an advance of public money to enable the person to whom it may be made to carry on some public service; and the person to whom the advance is made is called the ‘imprest accountant.’2.One who counts or can count or reckon; a reckoner, calculator.1646H. LawrenceComm.& Warre w. Angels 31In matters of numbring and account, an accountant will tell you that in a quarter of an hower.1697W. DampierVoyages (1729) I. 360The Mindanaians are no good Accomptants; therefore the Chinese that live here, do cast up their Accompts for them.1710SteeleTatlerNo.228. ⁋10He is an excellent Penman and Accomptant.1742YoungNight Thoughts ix. 1307O ye Dividers of my Time! Ye bright Accomptants of my days, and months, and years.c1817J. HoggTa. &Sk.V. 21The best grammarian, the best reader, writer and accountant in the various classes that he attended.1828Miss MitfordOur VillageSer.iii. 7 (1863)A false accomptant, a stupid arithmetician, would put her out of humour.3.One who professionally makes up or takes charge of accounts; an officer in a public office who has charge of the accounts. accountant-general, the chief or superintending accountant in various public offices.1539Househ.Ord.in Thynne's Animadv. (1865) 33And the said Books shall be examined with the Accomptants and particular Clerkes for the perfecting of the same.1605CamdenRem. 18To admonish accontants to be circumspect in entring.1655FullerCh.Hist.vi. 353Herein the Dean and Chapter of Paul's, were both their own Accomptants and Auditors.1679–88Secr.Serv.Mon.Chas.II &Jas.II, 121 (1851)To Katherine, the widow and relict of DrRobert Wood, dec'ed, late accomptant generall of the Revenue in Ireland.1719D'UrfeyPills (1872) VI. 329A British accountant that's frolic and free, Who does wondrous Feats by the Rule of Three.1753SmollettCt.Fathom 142/1 (1784)A third was the issue of an accomptant, and a fourth the offspring of a woollen-draper.1829I. TaylorEnthus.(1867) ii. 32Note particularly and with the scrupulosity of an accomptant.1878JevonsPrim.Polit.Econ.82Skilful accountants should examine the books at the end of the year, and certify the amount of profits due to the men.†4.A narrator. Obs.rare.1655FullerCh.Hist.Cent xii. i. §70The same accomptant, when coming to set down, what then, and there was offered to Christ's, or the High-Altar, dispatcheth all with a blanke, Summo Altari nil.