Why is a group of 20 items called a score?

Answer 1

The term "score" derives from the Old English word "scor," which means twenty. Historically, this term was used in counting and accounting, particularly in contexts like livestock and taxation. The phrase "four score and seven years ago," famously used by Abraham Lincoln, illustrates this usage, emphasizing the count of twenty in a more literary or formal manner. Thus, a group of 20 items is referred to as a score.