‖n. [ NL. Named after Dioscorides the Greek physician. ] (Bot.) A genus of plants, the roots of which are eaten as yams. See Yam. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. 1. a natural family of tuberous plants including the yams.
Syn. -- family Dioscoreaceae, yam family. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. & n. Eight times twenty; a hundred and sixty. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The product of four times twenty; eighty units or objects. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Four + core, n. ] Four times twenty; eighty. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Etymol. uncertain. ] (Curling) A distance line drawn across the rink or course between the middle line and the tee. [ Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Nine times twenty, or one hundred and eighty. -- n. The product of nine times twenty; ninescore units or objects. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. scor twenty, fr. sceran, scieran, to shear, cut, divide; or rather the kindred Icel. skor incision, twenty, akin to Dan. skure a notch, Sw. skåra. See Shear. ] 1. A notch or incision; especially, one that is made as a tally mark; hence, a mark, or line, made for the purpose of account. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whereas, before, our forefathers had no other books but the score and the tally, thou hast caused printing to be used. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An account or reckoning; account of dues; bill; hence, indebtedness. [ 1913 Webster ]

He parted well, and paid his score. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Account; reason; motive; sake; behalf. [ 1913 Webster ]

But left the trade, as many more
Have lately done on the same score. Hudibras. [ 1913 Webster ]

You act your kindness in Cydaria's score. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The number twenty, as being marked off by a special score or tally; hence, in pl., a large number. [ 1913 Webster ]

Amongst three or four score hogsheads. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

At length the queen took upon herself to grant patents of monopoly by scores. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A distance of twenty yards; -- a term used in ancient archery and gunnery. Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A weight of twenty pounds. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

7. The number of points gained by the contestants, or either of them, in any game, as in cards or cricket. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. A line drawn; a groove or furrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Mus.) The original and entire draught, or its transcript, of a composition, with the parts for all the different instruments or voices written on staves one above another, so that they can be read at a glance; -- so called from the bar, which, in its early use, was drawn through all the parts. Moore (Encyc. of Music). [ 1913 Webster ]

10. the grade received on an examination, such as those given in school or as a qualifying examination for a job or admission to school; -- it may be expressed as a percentage of answers which are correct, or as a number or letter; as, a score of 98 in a civil service exam. [ PJC ]

In score (Mus.), having all the parts arranged and placed in juxtaposition. Smart. --
To quit scores, to settle or balance accounts; to render an equivalent; to make compensation. [ 1913 Webster ] Does not the earth quit scores with all the elements in the noble fruits that issue from it? South. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Scored p. pr. & vb. n. Scoring. ] 1. To mark with lines, scratches, or notches; to cut notches or furrows in; to notch; to scratch; to furrow; as, to score timber for hewing; to score the back with a lash. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let us score their backs. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A briar in that tangled wilderness
Had scored her white right hand. M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Especially, to mark with significant lines or notches, for indicating or keeping account of something; as, to score a tally. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To mark or signify by lines or notches; to keep record or account of; to set down; to record; to charge. [ 1913 Webster ]

Madam, I know when,
Instead of five, you scored me ten. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nor need I tallies thy dear love to score. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To engrave, as upon a shield. [ R. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To make a score of, as points, runs, etc., in a game. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Mus.) To write down in proper order and arrangement; as, to score an overture for an orchestra. See Score, n., 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Geol.) To mark with parallel lines or scratches; as, the rocks of New England and the Western States were scored in the drift epoch. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To keep the score in a game; to act as scorer. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. To make or count a point or points, as in a game; to tally. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. To run up a score, or account of dues. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

4. To succeed in finding a partner for sexual intercourse; to make a sexual conquest. [ slang ] [ PJC ]

5. To purchase drugs illegally. [ slang ] [ PJC ]

n. One who, or that which, scores. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. & a. Seven times twenty, that is, a hundred and forty. [ 1913 Webster ]

The old Countess of Desmond . . . lived sevenscore years. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. [ Six + score, n. ] Six times twenty; one hundred and twenty. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Thrice twenty; sixty. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. & a. Twelve times twenty; two hundred and forty. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To draw a mark or line under; to underline. J. Tucker. [ 1913 Webster ]