# score

/ˈskɔɹ/ (US) · /skˈɔː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/score
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. points in a game

noun · CEFR A2

the number of points or goals a person or team has in a game.

For teachers: the total number of points, goals, or runs earned by a participant or team in a competitive match.

- The final score of the football match was three to one.
- Despite dominating possession for most of the second half, the home team failed to improve the score before the final whistle.

### 2. test result

noun · CEFR A2

the grade or number you get on a test or exam.

For teachers: the evaluation of a performance on an examination, typically expressed as a numerical value or letter grade.

- She was very happy with her high score on the math test.
- The university requires a minimum score of seven on the language proficiency exam for all international applicants.

### 3. music for a film

noun · CEFR B1

the music written for a movie or a play.

For teachers: the musical composition accompanying a motion picture or theatrical production.

- The movie's score was so beautiful that I bought the album.
- The composer won an award for the original score, which blended traditional orchestral arrangements with modern electronic textures.

### 4. written music

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

a printed piece of music that shows all the parts for the instruments.

For teachers: the written or printed form of a musical composition showing all the vocal and instrumental parts on separate staves.

- The conductor looked at the score before the orchestra started playing.
- Studying the full orchestral score allowed the student to understand how the woodwind section interacted with the lower strings.

### 5. the number twenty

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary · Archaic

a set of twenty things.

For teachers: a group or set of twenty; often used in historical or literary contexts.

- The old man lived for four score years.
- The famous speech begins with 'Four score and seven years ago', referring to a period of eighty-seven years.

### 6. to gain points

verb · CEFR A2

to get a goal or a point in a game or a test.

For teachers: to gain or record a point, goal, or run in a competitive context.

- He managed to score a goal in the last minute of the game.
- The striker managed to score despite being closely marked by two defenders throughout the entire match.

### 7. to get something

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to get something you want, often something that is hard to find.

For teachers: to succeed in obtaining something desired or needed, often through effort or luck.

- I managed to score two tickets to the sold-out concert.
- After searching several vintage shops, she finally managed to score a rare first-edition copy of the novel.

### 8. to cut a line

verb · CEFR B2 · Technical

to make a shallow cut or line on a surface.

For teachers: to make a notch, cut, or line on a surface, often as a guide for folding or cutting.

- Score the paper with a knife before you try to fold it.
- The chef instructed the apprentice to score the skin of the duck breast to help the fat render during cooking.

## Examples

- The final score of the game was two to one.
- The teacher posted the test scores on the wall so students could see how they performed.
- Despite dominating possession for the majority of the second half, the home team failed to improve their score before the final whistle blew.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.