Home › Glossary › Letter T

threescore

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An archaic term meaning sixty, often used in historical contexts.

Detailed Definition
'Threescore' is an old-fashioned way of saying 'sixty', derived from the practice of counting in scores (twenties). It is commonly found in biblical and classical literature, lending a sense of gravity and tradition to the text. In the poem, 'Threescore summers, when they're gone', it emphasizes the fleeting nature of time and life.
Example
Example in poetry:
Threescore summers, when they're gone, Will appear as short as one! lifespan; enhanced: "Threescore summers... brief as one"; biblical: "Threescore and ten"; contemporary: "Threescore years in fast age"; educational: "Threescore sixty in reflective odes"; "Summers flown like moments."
Additional Notes
The term 'threescore' is used to quantify summers, illustrating its archaic numerical expression.; Found in the poem, On a Fly Drinking Out of His Cup by William Oldys
Also Known As
sixty years three score biblical lifespan aged threescore
Skip to main content