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Contents
score definition
Overview
This page has 47 definitions of score with English translations in 6 languages. Score is a noun, verb and interjection. Examples of how to use score in a sentence are shown. Also define these 0 related words and terms: .
English score definition
Etymology
From Middle English score, skore, schore, from Old English scoru (“notch; tally; score”), from Old Norse skor, from Proto-Germanic *skurō (“incision; tear; rift”), which is related to *skeraną (“to cut”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“cut”). Cognate with Icelandic skora, Swedish skåra, Danish skår. Related to shear.
For the sense “twenty”: The mark on a tally made by drovers for every twenty beasts passing through a tollgate.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) enPR: skôr, IPA(key): /skɔː/
- (General American) enPR: skôrʹ, IPA(key): /skɔɹ/
Audio (US) (file) - (rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) enPR: skōrʹ, IPA(key): /sko(ː)ɹ/
- (non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA(key): /skoə/
- Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)
Noun
score (plural scores)
- The total number of goals, points, runs, etc. earned by a participant in a game.
- The player with the highest score is the winner.
- The number of points accrued by each of the participants in a game, expressed as a ratio or a series of numbers.
- The score is 8-1 even though it's not even half-time!
- The performance of an individual or group on an examination or test, expressed by a number, letter, or other symbol; a grade.
- The test scores for this class were high.
- Twenty, 20.
- Some words have scores of meanings.
- 1863 November 19, Abraham Lincoln, Dedicatory Remarks (Gettysburg Address)[1], near Soldiers' National Cemetery, →LCCN, Bliss copy, page 1:
- Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
- 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 152:
- I went on trying for fish along the western bank down the river, but only small trout rose at my flies, and a score was the total catch.
- (gambling) An amount of money won in gambling; winnings.
- 2013, Arnold Snyder, Big Book of Blackjack:
- Use a few “introductory plays” to become known to a casino before you go for a big score.
- A distance of twenty yards, in ancient archery and gunnery.
- 1612, Michael Drayton, chapter 26, in [John Selden], editor, Poly-Olbion. Or A Chorographicall Description of Tracts, Riuers, Mountaines, Forests, and Other Parts of this Renowned Isle of Great Britaine, […], London: […] H[umphrey] L[ownes] for Mathew Lownes; I. Browne; I. Helme; I. Busbie, published 1613, →OCLC:
- At Markes full fortie score they vs'd to Prick and Roue.
- A weight of twenty pounds.
- (music) The written form of a musical composition showing all instrumental and vocal parts.
- (music) The music of a movie or play.
- 2013 June 29, “Travels and travails”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, page 55:
- Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee.
- Subject.
- 2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 245e:
- Well, although we haven't discussed the views of all those who make precise reckonings of being and not [being], we've done enough on that score.
- Account; reason; motive; sake; behalf.
- 1662, [Samuel Butler], “[The First Part of Hudibras]”, in Hudibras. The First and Second Parts. […], London: […] John Martyn and Henry Herringman, […], published 1678; republished in A[lfred] R[ayney] Waller, editor, Hudibras: Written in the Time of the Late Wars, Cambridge: University Press, 1905, →OCLC:
- But left the trade, as many more / Have lately done on the same score.
- 1665, John Dryden, The Indian Emperour […][2], London: Printed by J.M. for H. Herringman, published 1667, Act V, scene ii, page 65:
- You act your kindneſs on Cydaria’s ſcore.
- A notch or incision; especially, one that is made as a tally mark; hence, a mark, or line, made for the purpose of account.
- 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii]:
- Whereas, before, our forefathers had no other books but the score and the tally, thou hast caused printing to be used.
- An account or reckoning; account of dues; bill; debt.
- c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene viii]:
- He parted well, and paid his score.
- (US, crime, slang) a criminal act, especially:
- A robbery.
- Let's pull a score!
- 2022, Matt Reeves, Peter Craig, The Batman:
- Batman: Dangerous crowd you're stealing from.
Catwoman: Jesus. Is this how you get your kicks, hon? Sneaking up on girls in the dark?
Batman: Is that why you work in the club? It was all just a score?
- A bribe paid to a police officer.
- An illegal sale, especially of drugs.
- He made a big score.
- A prostitute's client.
- A robbery.
- (originally US, vulgar, slang) A sexual conquest.
- 1976, William C. Thomas, Cat Murkil and the Silks, spoken by Punch:
- Ah, who gives a shit? The only score I'm interested in is the one I might make if some foxy chicks start pilin' outta there.
- (UK, regional) In the Lowestoft area, a narrow pathway running down a cliff to the beach.
- 1975, John Seymour, The Companion Guide to the Coast of North-east England, page 206:
- Above the harbour, steeply up the hill, run The Bolts, narrow stepped passages, equivalent of The Scores of Lowestoft and The Rows of Great Yarmouth.
Usage notes
As a quantity, a score is counted as any other unit: ten score, twelve score, fourteen score, etc. (or tenscore, twelvescore). There is no word for 202; rather, twenty score is used, and twice that forty score.
Synonyms
- (prostitute's client): see Thesaurus:prostitute's client
Derived terms
- Apgar score
- Baux score
- box score
- by the score
- credit score
- cricket score
- even the score
- film score
- fourscore
- four score and seven years ago
- four score and ten
- four score seven years ago
- full score
- game score
- GERP score
- Gleason score
- go off at score
- great score
- high score
- high score table
- high-score table
- hi-score
- keep score
- know the score
- major score
- no score
- no-score draw
- on this score
- on what score
- outscore
- overscore
- pain score
- pay off old scores
- Q score
- quit scores
- run up the score
- score attack
- scorecard
- score-draw
- score draw
- scoreless
- scores
- score-settling
- score sheet
- score-sheet
- scores of
- score string
- settle the score
- threescore
- three score and fifth
- three score and ten
- underscore
- Wilson score interval
- z-score
- Z score
Translations
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Verb
score (third-person singular simple present scores, present participle scoring, simple past and past participle scored)
- (transitive) To cut a notch or a groove in a surface.
- 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess[3]:
- The baker scored the cake so that the servers would know where to slice it.
- (intransitive) To record the tally of points for a game, a match, or an examination.
- (transitive, intransitive) To obtain something desired.
- 1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 50”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC:
- "Of course it would be hypocritical for me to pretend that I regret what Abraham did. After all, I've scored by it."
- To earn points in a game.
- It is unusual for a team to score a hundred goals in one game.
- Pelé scores again!
- To achieve (a score) in e.g. a test.
- 2004, Diane McGuinness, Early reading instruction: what science really tells us about how to teach reading:
- At the end of first grade, the children scored 80 percent correct on this test, a value that remained unchanged through third grade.
- (gambling) To win money by gambling.
- 2005, Shannon Nash, For the Love of Money, page 215:
- […] he scored big by hitting the jack pot at the Bellagio (he won $7,000). The next day, he won $15,000 on the nickel machines at the Palm Casino!
- (slang) To acquire or gain.
- 1971, Jagger–Richards, Marianne Faithfull (lyrics and music), “Sister Morphine”, in Sticky Fingers, performed by The Rolling Stones:
- What am I doing in this place? / Why does the doctor have no face? / Oh, I can't crawl across the floor / Ah, can't you see, Sister Morphine, I'm trying to score
- 1975, Andy Mackay, Bryan Ferry (lyrics and music), “Love Is the Drug”, performed by Roxy Music:
- I jump up, bubble up, what's in store? / Love is the drug and I need to score
- I scored some drugs last night.
- Did you score tickets for the concert?
- (US, crime, slang, of a police officer) To extract a bribe.
- (vulgar, slang) To obtain a sexual favor.
- Chris finally scored with Pat last week.
- 1982, “Prowlin'”, in Domenic Bugatti, Frank Muskeer, Christopher Cerf (lyrics), Grease 2:
- Gotta find a chick who'll give you more / Well, there's a spot that I've discovered / Where a guy's guaranteed to score
- (transitive) To provide (a film, etc.) with a musical score.
- 1974, New York Magazine, volume 7, number 45, page 98:
- Godfather II is nothing like ready. It is not yet scored, and thus not mixed. There remain additional shooting, looping, editing.
- 2023 August 10, Adrian Horton, “Robbie Robertson, member of the Band, dies at age 80”, in The Guardian, UK:
- Robertson scored several of Scorsese’s films, including Raging Bull, Casino, The Wolf of Wall Street and The Irishman.
Conjugation
infinitive | (to) score | ||
---|---|---|---|
present tense | past tense | ||
1st-person singular | score | scored | |
2nd-person singular | score, scorest† | scored, scoredst† | |
3rd-person singular | scores, scoreth† | scored | |
plural | score | ||
subjunctive | score | scored | |
imperative | score | — | |
participles | scoring | scored |
Synonyms
- (to cut a groove in a surface): groove, notch
- (to record the score): keep, score, tally
- (to earn points in a game):
- (to achieve a score in a test):
- (to acquire or gain): come by, earn, obtain; see also Thesaurus:receive
- (to extract a bribe): shake down
- (to obtain a sexual favor): pull
- (to provide with a musical score): soundtrack
Derived terms
Descendants
- →⇒ Irish: scóráil
Translations
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Interjection
score
See also
References
- Tom Dalzell, The Routledge Dictionary of Modern American Slang and Unconventional English, 2008, page 846
- Jonathon Green (2023), “score n.3”, in Green's Dictionary of Slang
Anagrams
Danish score definition
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
score c (singular definite scoren, plural indefinite scorer)
Declension
Verb
score
- score a goal/point
- land (to acquire; to secure)
- (slang) steal
- persuade (someone) to have sex with oneself [from 1959]
Conjugation
Derived terms
- målscorer
- scorekort
- scorereplik
- scoring
- topscorer
Dutch score definition
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
score m (plural scores, diminutive scoretje n)
- score (number of points earned)
Derived terms
Related terms
French score definition
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
score m (plural scores)
- score (in a sport, game)
Derived terms
Descendants
- → Romanian: scor n
Further reading
- “score”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams
Middle English score definition
Alternative forms
- scoore, skore
Etymology
Inherited from Old English scoru, from Old Norse skor, from Proto-Germanic *skurō.
Pronunciation
Noun
score (plural scores)
Descendants
References
- “scōr(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Norwegian Bokmål score definition
Alternative forms
Etymology
Via English score, from Old Norse skor. Related to Old Norse skera (modern Norwegian Bokmål skjære).
Noun
score m (definite singular scoren, indefinite plural scorer, definite plural scorene)
- a score
Verb
score (imperative scor, present tense scorer, passive scores, simple past and past participle scora or scoret, present participle scorende)
- to score (earn points in a game)
Derived terms
References
Norwegian Nynorsk score definition
Alternative forms
Etymology
Borrowed from English score. Doublet of skòr.
Noun
score m (definite singular scoren, indefinite plural scorar, definite plural scorane)
- a score
Verb
score (present tense scorar, past tense scora, past participle scora, passive infinitive scorast, present participle scorande, imperative score/scor)
- to score (earn points in a game)
References
- “score” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Spanish score definition
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from English score.
Pronunciation
Noun
score m (plural scores)
Usage notes
According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.
Yola score definition
Etymology
From Middle English score, from Old English scoru.
Noun
score
- score
- 1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 1:
- An aar was a hundereth lauckeen vowre score.
- And there was a hundred, lacking four score;
References
- Jacob Poole (1867), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, page 94