SCORE Definition & Meaning

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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, scoring.

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, scoring.

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

/ ��ɔː /

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

ˈ��ǰ��, noun

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�Դǲ�·��ǰ�i�Բ� adjective
�ǳܳ��ȴ��ǰ�� verb (used with object) outscored outscoring
��·��ǰ�� verb rescored rescoring
�ܲ�·��ǰ�� adjective
�ܲ�·��ǰ�i�Բ� adjective
�ɱ��-��ǰ�� adjective

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�y��vlog 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 “n�ǳٳ��”; 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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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of score¹

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

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Idioms and Phrases

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

Logan O’Hoppe hit a grand slam to give the Angels a seventh-inning lead, but the Cardinals scored nine runs in their last two turns at the plate to rally.

From

Stanley Zhong had a 4.42 grade point average, a nearly perfect SAT score, had bested adults in competitive coding competitions and started his own electronic signing service all while still in high school.

From

He has scored 106 goals in 413 appearances in all competitions for City, but has started just 19 games this season.

From

I felt sorry for their travelling fans because the team offered no threat whatsoever, and didn't even try to score.

From

Coronation Street stars Andy Whyment and Jacob Roberts sit down to settle the score before Manchester United host Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.

From

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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?

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

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

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)

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

— Sarah Lerner, Quaranteacher (@mrs_lerner)

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

— MyHeritage (@MyHeritage)

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Try using��score!

Is score used correctly in the following sentence?

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

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

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