noun

score

skaw

noun

The total number of points, goals, or runs earned in a game or contest.

"The final score was 3 to 1 in favour of the home team."

"She checked her test score as soon as the results were posted."

The written music for all the parts of a composition, or the music composed for a film or play.

"The film's score was praised as much as its screenplay."

Old-fashioned or literary: a group of twenty.

"Lincoln's address begins, "Four score and seven years ago.""

verb

To earn points, goals, or marks in a game or test.

"He scored the winning goal in the final minute."

"She scored 95% on the exam."

Informal: to successfully obtain something desired, including illegal drugs.

"They managed to score front-row tickets to the concert."

How to Use Score

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMost often the number of points in a game or test, but also the sheet music for a film/show, or slang for successfully getting hold of something.

Common pairings

keep score a high score settle a score score a goal

Word Forms

scored past tense, scores plural, score plural, score plural, scored plural, scores singular, score singular, scored singular, scorest singular, scoredst singular, scoreth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The final _____ was 3 to 1 in favour of the home team.

Etymology

From Old English scoru, borrowed from Old Norse skor, "a notch or tally," related to the idea of cutting a mark for every twenty animals passing through a gate — hence the old meaning "twenty."

Synonyms

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earn obtain

Related Words

achieve win pay deserve earn obtain receive steal

Rhymes for score

ore bore tore yore lore more core fore sore gore pore adore

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