Definition

1. Noun:

   • A number representing points: The total number of points achieved by a team or player in a game, sport, or test.
   • A set of twenty: A group or set of twenty items or people.
   • A written musical composition: A printed piece of music showing all the vocal and instrumental parts arranged on different staves.
   • A reason or account: A basis or ground for something; the facts about a situation.
   • A mark or notch: A line or cut, especially one made to keep a tally.
   • A grievance or debt: An old grievance or debt, often one to be settled.

2. Verb:

   • To gain points: To win or earn points in a game, sport, or test.
   • To make a mark: To cut or scratch a line or mark onto a surface.
   • To achieve or obtain: To achieve a success or obtain something desired.
   • To arrange music: To compose or arrange music for specific instruments or voices.
   • To evaluate or grade: To assign a grade or mark to a test or performance.

Examples

• Noun:

  • The final score was 3-1.
  • He bought three score years ago. (archaic/formal for sixty)
  • The conductor studied the orchestral score.
  • On that score, you are absolutely correct.
  • He made a score on the wood to mark the measurement.
  • He had an old score to settle with his rival.

• Verb:

  • She scored the winning goal in the last minute.
  • Use a knife to score the surface of the dough before baking.
  • The company scored a major victory with the new contract.
  • The composer scored the piece for a full orchestra.
  • The teacher will score the exams this weekend.

Advanced Usage

• "To know the score": To be aware of the true facts of a situation.

  • Don't worry about him; he knows the score and can handle the pressure.

• "To settle an old score": To get revenge for a past wrong or grievance.

  • The movie is about a detective returning to his hometown to settle an old score.

• "On the score of": For the reason of; because of.

  • The event was cancelled on the score of bad weather.

Variants and Related Words

• Scorer (n): A player who scores points or goals.

  • He was the top scorer in the league.

• Scoreboard (n): A large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match.

  • Everyone looked at the scoreboard when the buzzer sounded.

• Scorecard (n): A card for recording scores, especially in golf.

  • Keep track of your strokes on the scorecard.

Synonyms

• Noun: Tally, mark, grade, result, account, grievance.
• Verb: Earn, gain, achieve, notch, cut, grade, arrange.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Score off (someone): To gain an advantage over someone, especially in a clever or witty way.

  • In the debate, she always tried to score off her opponent.

• Score out: To draw a line through something to delete it.

  • He scored out the wrong answer and wrote the correct one.

Related Idioms

• "Four score and seven years ago": A famous phrase from Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address meaning eighty-seven years ago (a score is twenty years).
• "Score a point": To make a clever or effective remark in an argument.
  • With that witty reply, she really scored a point against her critic.

Noun

1. a seduction culminating in sexual intercourse
   • calling his seduction of the girl a `score' was a typical example of male slang
2. the act of scoring in a game or sport
   • the winning score came with less than a minute left to play
3. a resentment strong enough to justify retaliation
   • holding a grudge
   • settling a score
4. a slight surface cut (especially a notch that is made to keep a tally)
5. an amount due (as at a restaurant or bar)
   • add it to my score and I'll settle later
6. the facts about an actual situation
   • he didn't know the score
7. grounds
   • don't do it on my account
   • the paper was rejected on account of its length
   • he tried to blame the victim but his success on that score was doubtful
8. a set of twenty members
   • a score were sent out but only one returned
9. a number that expresses the accomplishment of a team or an individual in a game or contest
   • the score was 7 to 0
10. a written form of a musical composition; parts for different instruments appear on separate staves on large pages
    • he studied the score of the sonata
11. a number or letter indicating quality (especially of a student's performance)
    • she made good marks in algebra
    • grade A milk
    • what was your score on your homework?

Verb

1. assign a grade or rank to, according to one's evaluation
   • grade tests
   • score the SAT essays
   • mark homework
2. get a certain number or letter indicating quality or performance
   • She scored high on the SAT
   • He scored a 200
3. induce to have sex
   • Harry finally seduced Sally
   • Did you score last night?
   • Harry made Sally
4. write a musical score for
5. make underscoring marks
6. make small marks into the surface of
   • score the clay before firing it
7. gain points in a game
   • The home team scored many times
   • He hit a home run
   • He hit .300 in the past season