score

[ skawr, skohr ]

noun

, plural scores, score

1. the record of points or strokes made by the competitors in a game or match.
2. the total points or strokes made by one side, individual, play, game, etc.
3. an act or instance of making or earning a point or points.
4. Education, Psychology. the performance of an individual or sometimes of a group on an examination or test, expressed by a number, letter, or other symbol.
5. a notch, scratch, or incision; a stroke or line.
6. a notch or mark for keeping an account or record.
7. a reckoning or account so kept; tally.
8. any account showing indebtedness.
9. an amount recorded as due.
10. a line drawn as a boundary, the starting point of a race, a goal line, etc.
11. a group or set of 20:

    about a score of years ago.

12. scores, a great many:

    Scores of people were at the dance.

13. a reason, ground, or cause:

    to complain on the score of low pay.

14. Informal.
    1. the basic facts, point of progress, etc., regarding a situation:

       What's the score on Saturday's picnic?

    2. a successful move, remark, etc.
15. Music.
    1. a written or printed piece of music with all the vocal and instrumental parts arranged on staves, one under the other.
    2. the music itself.
    3. the music played as background to or part of a movie, play, or television presentation.
16. Slang.
    1. a success in finding a willing sexual partner; sexual conquest.
    2. a purchase or acquisition of illicit drugs, as heroin or cocaine.
    3. a single payoff obtained through graft by a police officer, especially from a narcotics violator.
    4. a successful robbery; theft.
    5. any success, triumph, happy acquisition, gift, or win.
    6. the victim of a robbery or swindle.

verb (used with object)

, scored, scor·ing.

1. to gain for addition to one's score in a game or match.
2. to make a score of:

   He scored 98 on the test.

3. to have as a specified value in points:

   Four aces score 100.

4. Education, Psychology. to evaluate the responses a person has made on (a test or an examination).
5. Music.
   1. to orchestrate.
   2. to write out in score.
   3. to compose the music for (a movie, play, television show, etc.)
6. Cooking. to cut ridges or lines into (meat, fish, etc.) with shallow slashes, usually in a diamond pattern, before cooking.
7. to make notches, cuts, marks, or lines in or on.
8. to record or keep a record of (points, items, etc.), by or as if by notches, marks, etc.; tally; reckon (often followed by up ).
9. to write down as a debt.
10. to record as a debtor.
11. to gain, achieve, or win:

    The play scored a great success.

12. Slang.
    1. to obtain (a drug) illicitly.
    2. to steal.
    3. to acquire; be given.
13. to berate or censure:

    The newspapers scored the mayor severely for the announcement.

14. to crease (paper or cardboard) so that it can be folded easily and without damage.

verb (used without object)

, scored, scor·ing.

1. to make a point or points in a game or contest.
2. to keep score, as of a game.
3. to achieve an advantage or a success:

   The new product scored with the public.

4. to make notches, cuts, lines, etc.
5. to run up a score or debt.
6. Slang.
   1. to succeed in finding a willing sexual partner; have sexual intercourse.
   2. to purchase or obtain drugs illicitly.
   3. to elicit and accept a bribe.

score

/ skɔː /

noun

1. an evaluative, usually numerical, record of a competitive game or match
2. the total number of points made by a side or individual in a game or match
3. the act of scoring, esp a point or points
4. the score informal.
   the score the actual situation; the true facts

   to know the score

5. the result of a test or exam
6. a group or set of twenty

   three score years and ten

7. usually pluralfoll byof a great number; lots

   I have scores of things to do

8. music
   1. the written or printed form of a composition in which the instrumental or vocal parts appear on separate staves vertically arranged on large pages ( full score ) or in a condensed version, usually for piano ( short score ) or voices and piano ( vocal score )
   2. the incidental music for a film or play
   3. the songs, music, etc, for a stage or film musical
9. a mark or notch, esp one made in keeping a tally
10. an account of amounts due
11. an amount recorded as due
12. a reason or account

    the book was rejected on the score of length

13. a grievance
14. 1. a line marking a division or boundary
    2. ( as modifier )

       score line

15. informal.
    the victim of a theft or swindle
16. dancing notation indicating a dancer's moves
17. over the score informal.
    over the score excessive; unfair
18. settle a score
    settle a scorepay off a score
    1. to avenge a wrong
    2. to repay a debt

verb

1. to gain (a point or points) in a game or contest
2. tr to make a total score of

   to score twelve

3. to keep a record of the score (of)
4. tr to be worth (a certain amount) in a game
5. tr to evaluate (a test or exam) numerically; mark
6. tr to record by making notches in
7. to make (cuts, lines, etc) in or on
8. slang.
   intr to obtain something desired, esp to purchase an illegal drug
9. slang.
   intr (of a man) to be successful in seducing a person
10. tr
    1. to set or arrange (a piece of music) for specific instruments or voices
    2. to write the music for (a film, play, etc)
11. to achieve (success or an advantage)

    your idea really scored with the boss

12. tr to criticize harshly; berate
13. to accumulate or keep a record of (a debt)

Derived Forms

• ˈscorer, noun

Other Words From

• scoreless adjective
• scorer noun
• non·scoring adjective
• outscore verb (used with object) outscored outscoring
• re·score verb rescored rescoring
• un·scored adjective
• un·scoring adjective
• well-scored adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of score¹

First recorded before 1100; Middle English; late Old English noun scora, score (plural; unattested singular scoru ) “group of twenty” (apparently originally “notch”), from Old Norse skor “notch”; Middle English verb scoren “to incise, mark with lines, tally debts,” from Old Norse skora “to notch, count by tallies”; later verb senses derivative of the noun; akin to shear

Word History and Origins

Origin of score¹

Old English scora; related to Old Norse skor notch, tally, twenty

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. pay off / settle a score, to avenge a wrong; retaliate:

   In the Old West they paid off a score with bullets.

More idioms and phrases containing score

see box score ; know the score ; pay off (an old score) ; settle a score .

Example Sentences

Makridis and Wu compared the committee’s social capital index score with county-level data on coronavirus infections, case growth and mortality.

From Washington Post

Cuban’s move comes after scores of athletes have followed the lead of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick by kneeling in protest during the national anthem.

From Washington Post

Even if box scores fail to capture the tweaks and triumphs Turner has made in his game, that doesn’t mean there aren’t clear areas for improvement still.

From FiveThirtyEight

The first factor was the game’s competitiveness and tension, measured by how close the score was at the end of each quarter.

From Washington Post

That kept the score at 31-9 in the Bucs’ favor, after that team’s defense kept the pressure on Mahomes.

From Washington Post

Yes, we do typically do better than Europe (and Canada, too, which is frequently awful on this score).

From The Daily Beast

The higher your score, the more likely it is that you can lip-sync along to the “Checkers” Speech.

From The Daily Beast

Sting took over the lead role to try to draw an audience, but his thumpingly inspirational score was already the hero of the show.

From The Daily Beast

Finally, a score or so of films have been made of the story, some called A Christmas Carol and others, simply, Scrooge.

From The Daily Beast

Chiefly, we forgot the many, many problems there are with the bones—the book and score—to this show.

From The Daily Beast

The Seven-score and four on the six middle Bells, the treble leading, and the tenor lying behind every change, makes good Musick.

From Project Gutenberg

Indeed, a score of bodies lying there had not been seen by Malcolm during his first frenzied examination of the house.

From Project Gutenberg

The Indian turned his head, and spoke to some one behind; one after another a score of figures rose.

From Project Gutenberg

It was locked there so firmly that a score of men had to labor for hours next day ere it could be cleared.

From Project Gutenberg

I raised my pipe above my head and hurled it against the fence, where it crashed into a score of pieces.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accomplish
• connect
• gain
• get
• notch
• pull off
• rack up
• reach
• win

More About Score

What is a basic definition of score?

A score is the tally of points that have been earned by competitors in a game. To score is to add points to this tally during a game. Score also refers to a set of 20 items. Score has many other senses, both as a noun and a verb.

The score of a game or competition is the record of how many points have been earned during the game. A game in which no points are gained at all is referred to as scoreless.

Real-life examples: France won the final match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup against Croatia with a score of 4-2. In 2020, the final score of Super Bowl LIV between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers was 31-20.

Used in a sentence: I volunteered to keep track of the score of the children’s baseball game. 

Related to this sense, score means to gain points or otherwise add to a person’s or team’s score during a game. A player that gains points is called a scorer. The person who keeps track of the score is also called a scorer, or more frequently a scorekeeper. A player, team, or maneuver that doesn’t gain any points is referred to as nonscoring.

Real-life examples: Soccer players score goals. Basketball players score baskets. Football players score touchdowns.

Used in a sentence: She scored 50 points by hitting the bullseye. 

Score is also a group or set of 20 items.

Real-life examples: Abraham Lincoln famously said that America was founded “four score and seven years ago” during his Gettysburg Address in 1863. Lincoln was referring to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, which occurred 87 (four score plus seven) years prior to Lincoln’s speech.

Used in a sentence: He bought a score of donuts from the bakery.

Where does score come from?

The first records of score come from before the 1100s. The noun ultimately comes from the Old Norse skor, meaning “notch or tally” or “20.” The verb ultimately comes from the Old Norse skora, meaning “to notch” or “to count by tallies.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to score?

• scoreless (adjective)
• scorer (noun)
• nonscoring (adjective)
• outscore (verb)
• rescore (verb)
• unscored (adjective)
• unscoring (adjective)

What are some synonyms for score?

• account
• result
• tally
• record
• add

What are some words that share a root or word element with score? 

 

• scoreboard
• scorecard
• scorekeeper
• scorepad
• settle a score

What are some words that often get used in discussing score?

• game
• sports
• final
• musical

How is score used in real life?

Score is a common word that often refers to point tallies in games or an act of a player earning points.

We're heading to the top of the 9th from Globe Life Park with the Rangers beating the Yankees, 6-1.

The final score of Game 6 of the 2010 ALCS that sent the Rangers to their first World Series? Rangers 6, Yankees 1

— Jared Sandler (@JaredSandler) September 29, 2019

My son won his hockey game today, 6-4. He scored three goals.

— Sarah Lerner, Quaranteacher (@mrs_lerner) September 16, 2018

"Four score and seven years ago…" On this day in history, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address. #history

— MyHeritage (@MyHeritage) November 19, 2020

 

 

Try using score!

Is score used correctly in the following sentence?

The soccer game ended with a tied score of 2-2.