View synonyms for score

score

[ skawr, skohr ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural scores, score

the record of points or strokes made by the competitors in a game or match.
the total points or strokes made by one side, individual, play, game, etc.
an act or instance of making or earning a point or points.
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.
a notch, scratch, or incision; a stroke or line.
a notch or mark for keeping an account or record.
a reckoning or account so kept; tally.
any account showing indebtedness.
an amount recorded as due.
a line drawn as a boundary, the starting point of a race, a goal line, etc.
a group or set of 20:
about a score of years ago.
scores, a great many:
Scores of people were at the dance.
a reason, ground, or cause:
to complain on the score of low pay.
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.
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.
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.

to gain for addition to one's score in a game or match.
to make a score of:
He scored 98 on the test.
to have as a specified value in points:
Four aces score 100.
Education, Psychology. to evaluate the responses a person has made on (a test or an examination).
Music.
1. to orchestrate.
2. to write out in score.
3. to compose the music for (a movie, play, television show, etc.)
Cooking. to cut ridges or lines into (meat, fish, etc.) with shallow slashes, usually in a diamond pattern, before cooking.
to make notches, cuts, marks, or lines in or on.
to record or keep a record of (points, items, etc.), by or as if by notches, marks, etc.; tally; reckon (often followed by up ).
to write down as a debt.
to record as a debtor.
to gain, achieve, or win:
The play scored a great success.
Slang.
1. to obtain (a drug) illicitly.
2. to steal.
3. to acquire; be given.
to berate or censure:
The newspapers scored the mayor severely for the announcement.
to crease (paper or cardboard) so that it can be folded easily and without damage.

verb (used without object)

, scored, scor·ing.

to make a point or points in a game or contest.
to keep score, as of a game.
to achieve an advantage or a success:
The new product scored with the public.
to make notches, cuts, lines, etc.
to run up a score or debt.
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

an evaluative, usually numerical, record of a competitive game or match
the total number of points made by a side or individual in a game or match
the act of scoring, esp a point or points
the score informal.
the actual situation; the true facts
to know the score
the result of a test or exam
a group or set of twenty
three score years and ten
usually pluralfoll byof a great number; lots
I have scores of things to do
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
a mark or notch, esp one made in keeping a tally
an account of amounts due
an amount recorded as due
a reason or account
the book was rejected on the score of length
a grievance
1. a line marking a division or boundary
2. ( as modifier )
  score line
informal.
the victim of a theft or swindle
dancing notation indicating a dancer's moves
over the score informal.
excessive; unfair
settle a score or pay off a score
1. to avenge a wrong
2. to repay a debt

verb

to gain (a point or points) in a game or contest
tr to make a total score of
to score twelve
to keep a record of the score (of)
tr to be worth (a certain amount) in a game
tr to evaluate (a test or exam) numerically; mark
tr to record by making notches in
to make (cuts, lines, etc) in or on
slang.
intr to obtain something desired, esp to purchase an illegal drug
slang.
intr (of a man) to be successful in seducing a person
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)
to achieve (success or an advantage)
your idea really scored with the boss
tr to criticize harshly; berate
to accumulate or keep a record of (a debt)

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Derived Forms

ˈscorer, noun

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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

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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

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Word History and Origins

Origin of score¹

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

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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 .

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Example Sentences

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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