score

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.

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: skôr, IPA^(key): /skɔː/
• (General American) enPR: skôrʹ, IPA^(key): /skɔɹ/

• Audio (US)

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• (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)

score (plural scores)

1. The total number of goals, points, runs, etc. earned by a participant in a game.

   The player with the highest score is the winner.

2. 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!

3. 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.

4. Twenty, 20.

   Some words have scores of meanings.

   • 1863 November 19, Abraham Lincoln, Dedicatory Remarks (Gettysburg Address)‎, 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.

5. (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.

6. 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.

7. A weight of twenty pounds.
8. (music) The written form of a musical composition showing all instrumental and vocal parts.
9. (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.

10. 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.

11. 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 (first performance), John Dryden, The Indian Emperour, or, The Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman […], published 1667, →OCLC, Act V, scene ii, page 65:

      You act your kindneſs on Cydaria’s ſcore.

    • 1900, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 3, page 306:

      The local village priest is expected to pass through the Holi bonfire, which, in the opinion of the faithful, cannot burn him. Indeed he holds his land rent-free simply on the score of his being fire-proof.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. (US, crime, slang) a criminal act, especially:
    1. 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?

    2. A bribe paid to a police officer.
    3. An illegal sale, especially of drugs.

       He made a big score.

    4. A prostitute's client.
15. (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.

16. (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.

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.

• (prostitute's client): see Thesaurus:prostitute's client

score (third-person singular simple present scores, present participle scoring, simple past and past participle scored)

1. (transitive) To cut a notch or a groove in a surface.
   • 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:

     A very neat old woman, still in her good outdoor coat and best beehive hat, was sitting at a polished mahogany table on whose surface there were several scored scratches so deep that a triangular piece of the veneer had come cleanly away, […].

   The baker scored the cake so that the servers would know where to slice it.

2. (intransitive) To record the tally of points for a game, a match, or an examination.
3. (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."

   1. To earn points in a game.

      It is unusual for a team to score a hundred goals in one game.

      Pelé scores again!

      • 2011 September 29, Jon Smith, “Tottenham 3 - 1 Shamrock Rovers”, in BBC Sport‎:

        And White Hart Lane was stunned when Rovers scored just five minutes after the restart in front of their away following.

   2. To achieve academic credit on a test, quiz, homework, assignment, or course.
      • 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.

      • 1996 March 5, Mike Judge, “Substitute”, in Beavis and Butthead, season 6, episode 18, Mr. Van Driessen (actor):

        No, Butthead, that's my point. You didn't score. You got a zero.

   3. (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!

   4. (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?

   5. (US, crime, slang, of a police officer) To extract a bribe.
   6. (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

4. (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.

• (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

• →⇒ Irish: scóráil

score

1. (US, slang) Acknowledgement of success

• grade

• Tom Dalzell, The Routledge Dictionary of Modern American Slang and Unconventional English, 2008, page 846
• Jonathon Green (2024) “score n.³”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang

• Corse, Crose, ROCEs, Secor, Sorce, ceros, cores, corse, creos, ocres

Borrowed from English score.

• IPA^(key): /skoːrə/, [ˈsɡ̊oːɐ]

score c (singular definite scoren, plural indefinite scorer)

1. A score, a number of points earned.

score

1. score a goal/point
2. land (to acquire; to secure)
3. (slang) steal
4. persuade (someone) to have sex with oneself [from 1959]

Borrowed from English score.

• IPA^(key): /ˈskoː.rə/

• Audio

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• Hyphenation: sco‧re

score m (plural scores, diminutive scoretje n)

1. score (number of points earned)

• scorebord

• scoren

Borrowed from English score.

• IPA^(key): /skɔʁ/

• Audio

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score m (plural scores)

1. score (in a sport, game)

• scorer

• → Romanian: scor n

• “score”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

• corse, Corse
• ocres

• scoore, skore

Inherited from Old English scoru, from Old Norse skor, from Proto-Germanic *skurō.

• IPA^(key): /ˈskɔːr(ə)/

score (plural scores)

1. score

• English: score
• Yola: score

• “scōr(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

• skår (of noun)
• skåre (of verb)

Via English score, from Old Norse skor. Related to Old Norse skera (modern Norwegian Bokmål skjære).

score m (definite singular scoren, indefinite plural scorer, definite plural scorene)

1. a score

score (imperative scor, present tense scorer, passive scores, simple past and past participle scora or scoret, present participle scorende)

1. to score (earn points in a game)

• scorer
• scoring
• scoringsposisjon
• scoringssjanse

• “score” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “score” in The Ordnett Dictionary

• skår (of noun)
• skåre, skåra (of verb)
• scora (of verb)

Borrowed from English score. Doublet of skòr.

score m (definite singular scoren, indefinite plural scorar, definite plural scorane)

1. a score

score (present tense scorar, past tense scora, past participle scora, passive infinitive scorast, present participle scorande, imperative score/scor)

1. to score (earn points in a game)

• “score” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Unadapted borrowing from English score.

• IPA^(key): /esˈkoɾ/ [esˈkoɾ]
• Rhymes: -oɾ

score m (plural scores)

1. (sports) score

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.

From Middle English score, from Old English scoru.

• IPA^(key): /skɔː/

score

1. score
   • 1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 1, page 94:

     An aar was a hundereth lauckeen vowre score.

     And there was a hundred, lacking four score;

   • 1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 2, page 94:

     Aar was Parick o Dearmoth, an dhen score besidh,

     There was Patrick o Deormod, and ten score beside,

   • 1867, “DR. RUSSELL ON THE INHABITANTS AND DIALECT OF THE BARONY OF FORTH”, in APPENDIX, page 130:

     Th'ar was a hunnert, lackin a score,

     [There was a hundred, lacking a score,]

• Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) 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, published 1867, page 94