Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - score

(scores, scoring, scored) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. Note: In meaning 9, the plural form is 'score'. 1. In a sport or game, if a player scores a goal or a point, they gain a goal or point. Against which country did Ian Wright score his first international goal?... England scored 282 in their first innings... Gascoigne almost scored in the opening minute. VERB: V n, V n, V 2. If you score a particular number or amount, for example as a mark in a test, you achieve that number or amount. Kelly had scored an average of 147 on three separate IQ tests... Congress as an institution scores low in public opinion polls. VERB: V n, V adv 3. Someone’s score in a game or test is a number, for example, a number of points or runs, which shows what they have achieved or what level they have reached. The U.S. Open golf tournament was won by Ben Hogan, with a score of 287... There was also a strong link between children’s low maths scores and parents’ numeracy problems. N-COUNT 4. The score in a game is the result of it or the current situation, as indicated by the number of goals, runs, or points obtained by the two teams or players. 4-1 was the final score... They beat the Giants by a score of 7 to 3... N-COUNT 5. If you score a success, a victory, or a hit, you are successful in what you are doing. (WRITTEN) In recent months, the rebels have scored some significant victories... VERB: V n 6. The score of a film, play, or similar production is the music which is written or used for it. The dance is accompanied by an original score by Henry Torgue. N-COUNT 7. The score of a piece of music is the written version of it. He recognizes enough notation to be able to follow a score. N-COUNT 8. If you refer to scores of things or people, you are emphasizing that there are very many of them. (WRITTEN) Campaigners lit scores of bonfires in ceremonies to mark the anniversary. QUANT: QUANT of pl-n c darkgreen]emphasis 9. A score is twenty or approximately twenty. (WRITTEN) A score of countries may be producing or planning to obtain chemical weapons... NUM: usu a/num NUM 10. If you score a surface with something sharp, you cut a line or number of lines in it. Lightly score the surface of the steaks with a knife. VERB: V n 11. If you keep score of the number of things that are happening in a certain situation, you count them and record them. You can keep score of your baby’s movements before birth by recording them on a kick chart. PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR of n 12. If you know the score, you know what the real facts of a situation are and how they affect you, even though you may not like them. (SPOKEN) I don’t feel sorry for Carl. He knew the score, he knew what he had to do and couldn’t do it. PHRASE: V inflects 13. You can use on that score or on this score to refer to something that has just been mentioned, especially an area of difficulty or concern. I became pregnant easily. At least I’ve had no problems on that score... PHRASE 14. If you score a point over someone, or score points off them, you gain an advantage over them, usually by saying something clever or making a better argument. The Prime Minister was trying to score a political point over his rivals... The politicians might be forced to touch on the real issues rather than scoring points off each other. PHRASE: V and N inflect, PHR n 15. If you settle a score or settle an old score with someone, you take revenge on them for something they have done in the past. The groups had historic scores to settle with each other. PHRASE: V and N inflect