score — OET · Shobdo

score

noun

1 the final score was 4–3:

result, outcome;

number of goals/runs/points, total, sum total, tally, count.

2 an IQ score of 161:

rating, grade, mark, percentage.

3 check the shaft for rust, scores, and any other types of damage:

scratch, nick, notch, snick, scrape, groove, chip, cut, gouge, incision, slit, gash;

mark;

archaic scotch.

4 I've got a score to settle with you:

grievance, bone to pick, axe to grind, grudge, complaint;

dispute, bone of contention;

rare crow to pluck.

5 (the score) informal he knew the score before he got here:

the situation, the position, the facts, the truth of the matter, the (true) state of affairs, the picture, the story, how things stand, the lie of the land;

British the state of play;

North American the lay of the land;

informal the set-up, what's what.

6 he had resigned on the score of ill health:

grounds, reason, basis, count;

cause, motive, rationale.

7 (scores) police have received scores of complaints | scores of people attended his funeral:

a great many, a lot, a great/good deal, a large/great number/amount, great quantities, plenty, a host, hosts, a crowd, crowds, droves, a bevy, bevies, an army, armies, a horde, hordes, a flock, flocks, herds, a throng, throngs, legions, a multitude, multitudes, a swarm, swarms;

copious, abundant, profuse, an abundance, a profusion;

informal lots, umpteen, loads, masses, stacks, scads, heaps, piles, bags, tons, oodles, dozens, hundreds, thousands, millions, billions, zillions, more … than one can shake a stick at;

British, informal shedloads, a shedload;

North American, informal a slew, a bunch, gazillions, gobs, bazillions;

Australian, New Zealand, informal a swag;

vulgar slang a shitload;

literary myriad, divers.

▷antonyms few.

□ on that score (also on this score)

there were no complaints on that score:

on this/that subject, as/so far as this/that is/was concerned, in this/that respect, about this/that, on this/that matter, as regards this/that.

□ settle a score (also settle the score or settle old scores)

a rival gang showed up to settle a score over turf |

he can't resist settling old scores—the book is full of retaliatory digs and sneers:

take (one's) revenge, hit back at someone, get back at someone, retaliate, get even, get one's own back, pay someone back, give someone a dose/taste of their own medicine, pay someone back in their own coin.

verb

1 he has already scored 13 goals for Aston Villa this season:

get, gain, chalk up, win, achieve, attain, make;

record;

informal notch up, bag, knock up, rack up.

2 when I was your age I spent every summer weekend scoring for my father's village cricket team:

keep (the) score, keep count, keep a record, keep a tally.

3 informal his new movie really scored:

be successful, be a success, achieve success, win, triumph, make an impression, have an impact, go down well, get an enthusiastic reception;

informal be a hit, be a winner, be a sell-out, go down a storm.

4 the Quartet Suite was scored for flute, violin, viola da gamba, and continuo:

orchestrate, arrange, set, adapt;

write, compose;

rare instrument.

5 score the wood in criss-cross patterns:

scratch, cut, make a notch/notches in, make a groove/grooves in, notch, incise, scrape, nick, snick, chip, gouge, slit, gash;

mark;

cross-hatch;

carve, engrave;

archaic scotch.

□ score points off

Harry was continually seeking ways to score points off Sam:

get the better of, gain an advantage over, outdo, best, worst, have the edge over;

have the last laugh on, make a fool of, humiliate;

informal get/be one up on, get one over on.

□ score something out (also score something through)

she scored out the last word:

cross out, strike out, put a line through, ink out, blue-pencil, scratch out;

delete, obliterate, expunge.

score Oxford Dictionary of English