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Glite Dictionary
on what score

on what score

8.3
Asking what reason someone gave for a decision
  • idiom
  • Archaic
translation icon : por qué motivo
  • I’d like to know on what score you rejected my application.

Examples

  • Could you explain on what score you made that decision?

  • She inquired on what score his proposal was preferred over others.

  • Could you clarify on what score this plan was found inadequate?

  • I would like to know on what score you based your argument.

  • Could you clarify on what score this plan was found inadequate?

  • I’d like to know on what score you rejected my application.

  • Could you explain on what score you made that decision?

Synonyms

how so
vson what score
19 5.1

To ask someone to explain how or why something is true

asks for the specific criteria or grounds behind a decision or opinion

Surface Forms

on what score positive

Morphology

on + what + score

The phrase is directly compositional: 'on' marks the relation, 'what' asks which, and 'score' (here 'reason/criterion') names the basis, so together they literally ask 'for what reason/criterion'. This follows a common preposition + interrogative + noun pattern (similar to 'on what grounds'), so a learner who knows the constituent meanings will be able to infer the MWE.

Etymology

On what score uses an older use of score that meant a 'point' or 'mark' on a list of reasons. Imagine someone checking a list and asking which marked point led to the choice, so it means 'for what reason'.