Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
SCORE
I. noun (plural scores) see: shear
Date: 14th century
1. or plural score twenty , a group of 20 things, an indefinitely large number,
2. a line (as a scratch or incision) made with or as if with a sharp instrument, b. a mark used as a starting point or goal, a mark used for keeping account,
3. an account or reckoning originally kept by making marks on a tally, amount due ; indebtedness , grudge ,
5. reason , ground , subject , topic ,
6. the copy of a musical composition in written or printed notation, a musical composition, a complete description of a dance composition in choreographic notation,
7. a number that expresses accomplishment (as in a game or test) or excellence (as in quality) either absolutely in points gained or by comparison to a standard, an act (as a goal, run, or touchdown) in any of various games or contests that gains points, success in obtaining something (as money or drugs) especially through illegal or irregular means, the stark inescapable facts of a situation ,
II. verb (scored; scoring)
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1. to keep a record or account of by or as if by notches on a tally ; record , to enter in a record, to mark with significant lines or notches (as in keeping account), to mark with lines, grooves, scratches, or notches, berate , scold ,
4. a. to make (a score) in a game or contest , to enable (a base runner) to make a score, to have as a value in a game or contest ; count , b. achieve , attain , acquire , win 1 , to determine the merit of ; grade ,
6. to write or arrange (music) for a specific performance medium, to make an orchestration of, to compose a score for (a movie), intransitive verb to keep score in a game or contest, to make a score in a game or contest,
3. to gain or have the advantage, to be successful: as, to succeed in having sexual intercourse, to manage to obtain illicit drugs, rate III, scorer noun