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Accountability is having to answer for what you did — to show it, explain it, and take the result, good or bad.
Accountability is having to answer for what you didAccountability是要為自己做的事負責交代 — to show it, explain it, and take the result, good or bad把它攤出來、解釋清楚，並承擔結果，不管好壞。
Responsibility is often ‘this job is mine’. Accountability is ‘and someone can ask me about it’.
Responsibility is often 'this job is mine'Responsibility常常是「這件事是我的」。Accountability is 'and someone can ask me about it'Accountability則是「而且有人可以來問我這件事」。
Companies, governments, and schools love the word; it sits in reports and speeches. A leader with accountability cannot shrug and say the team failed while they stay clean.
Companies, governments, and schools love the word企業、政府，和學校都很愛用這個字; it sits in reports and speeches它常出現在報告和演講裡。A leader with accountability一個有accountability的領導者 cannot shrug and say the team failed while they stay clean不能聳聳肩說是團隊失敗了，自己卻置身事外。
Though actually people stretch it: a poster that says we believe in accountability may only mean ‘please behave’, with no real asking afterwards. The hard core of the word is still being answerable, not just being busy or being in charge.
Though actually people stretch it不過其實大家會把它用得比較鬆: a poster that says we believe in accountability may only mean 'please behave'一張寫著we believe in accountability的海報可能只是在說「請乖乖表現」, with no real asking afterwards之後並沒有真的會有人來追問。The hard core of the word is still being answerable這個字最核心的部分，還是「可以被追究」, not just being busy or being in charge而不只是忙碌，或掌握大權。
組成accountable + -ity. From accountable + -ity. Accountable is ‘able to be asked for an account’ of what you did.
同家族的字
- accountablethe adjective this noun is built from
- accountto give an account is to explain what happened — the same account inside this word
原始詞典資料4 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
accountabilitynoun/əˌkaʊn.təˈbɪl.ə.ti/
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The state of being accountable; liability to be called on to render an account or give an explanation; liability to be held responsible or answerable for something.
- The United States stands at this time at the pinnacle of world power. It is a solemn moment for the American Democracy. For with primacy in power is also joined an awe-inspiring accountability to the future.
- Some companies may not even know whether nanomaterials are present in their products, the corporate accountability group As You Sow said.
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An open determination of one's responsibility for something and imposition of consequences.
- Just think about that: 1 in 4 had an error, and 1 in 20 was seriously wrong. And that is not good. If every 20th Frosty that Wendy’s sold turned out to be a cup of warm goat semen, we would want some accountability and we’d want it fast! At least freeze it!
- Levying a charge will not, by itself, guarantee accountability: witness the millions of dissatisfied customers of the private sector travel agents who book the wrong holiday, solicitors who over-charge, builders who do shoddy work, garages that misrepair cars, estate agents who mislead, shops that sell defective goods and refuse refunds, etc.
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An acceptance of good faith of one's responsibility for something and of its consequences.
- As the biggest rail player, Network Rail was usually held accountable for failings, but had no authority to change anything to solve the problems. The DfT had been given that authority in 2004 - but consistently ducked accountability.
- The erosion of accountability doesn't seem to matter now, but it will matter when things start unraveling.
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governmentmilitarypoliticsThe obligation imposed by law or regulation on an officer or other person for keeping an accurate record of property, documents, or funds.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。