accounting

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

Keeping of financial records

Nouns

1. (act of accounting) accounting, accountance, accountancy, bookkeeping, audit, calculation (See numeration), commercial or business arithmetic; cost or managerial accounting; horizontal or vertical analysis. See money, sale, purchase.

2. (accounting tools) accounts, books, finances, budget, money matters, figures.

3. ledger, journal, daybook, cashbook, petty-cash book, bank book, pass book, checkbook, invoice, balance sheet, general or subsidiary ledger, profit-and-loss statement, accounts-payable or -receivable ledger, sales ledger, spreadsheet, worksheet; numbered account; statement, invoice, bill, manifest.

4. (accounting terms) asset, liability, limited liability; equity, liquidity; credit, debit, deficit; negative or positive cash flow; expenditure (See payment); bill, invoice, statement [of account]; double-entry accounting, rolling or continuous budget; [pencil] footing; fixed costs; balance, [adjusted] trial balance, account, A/C, suspense or T account; credit, debit (See debt); accrual or cash basis method, zero base accounting; net worth; calendar or fiscal year; reconciliation; bottom line; entry, compound entry; debit card; salaried worker, freelance, independent contractor.

5. accountant, bookkeeper, actuary, certified public accountant, CPA, chartered accountant (Brit.); controller, comptroller; auditor, bank examiner; clerk. Informal, number cruncher, bean counter. See inquiry.

Verbs

1. (do accounting) keep accounts, keep the books, journalize, enter, log, post [up], book, credit, debit, carry over, balance [accounts or the books]; bill, invoice, dun, settle accounts; take stock, take inventory; audit, examine the books; open or close an account or the books; cost out.

2. (steal) falsify or doctor accounts; embezzle (See stealing). Slang, cook the books.

Adjectives — accounting, budgetary; in the black or red.

Quotations — Accountants are the witch-doctors of the modern world (Lord Justice Harman).

II

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) n.

1. recording and interpreting financial accounts bookkeeping, balancing the books, reckoning, crediting and debiting, auditing, computing, calculating, recording.

2. financial statement account, balance sheet, ledger, spreadsheet, accrual, budget, invoice.

WORD FIND

• account book: ledger, daybook, journal

• annual accounting period: calendar year, fiscal year

• cheating on records to hide profits: cooking the books

• collection of assets after business closes: liquidation

• computer program organizing financial data into rows and columns: spreadsheet

• decreasing value of asset over time: depreciation

• discrepancy corrections: reconciling

• ease of converting assets to cash: liquidity

• employee pay: payroll

• enter a transaction: log

• entry of earnings not yet received or of expenses not yet paid: accrual

• examination of accounts: audit

• examiner of accounts: auditor

• expenses greater than income: negative cash flow

• expenses less than income: positive cash flow

• head accountant of business or government: controller, comptroller

• increasing value of asset over time: appreciation

• items and property of value: assets

• losing money: in the red

• making money or realizing net profit: in the black

• money owed to creditors: accounts payable, liabilities, outstanding accounts

• money to be received: accounts receivable

• month by month budget: rolling budget

• net profit or loss: bottom line

• payout: disbursement

• profit and loss statement: P & L

• project income and expenses for the year: annualize

• pure profit: net

• record-keeping method having equal credit for each debit: double-entry accounting

• records: books

• revenues before costs are deducted: gross

• state-licensed accountant: CPA, certified public accountant

• total assets minus liabilities: net worth

• uncollectable debt: write-off

• value of assets beyond what is owed on them: equity

• withdrawal of funds by business owner: draw