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Meaning & use

script

noun, verb·Everyday

Last updated

UK/skrɪpt/
US/skrɪpt/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    The written words of a play, film, show or speech, which tell the performers what to say and do.

    Grammar: Countable: a script, two scripts.

    Patterns

    • the script for something
    • write a script

    The actors received the final script a week before filming began.

    She wrote the script for a short film about her grandmother.

    He stuck to the script during the interview.

  2. nouncountable or uncountable

    A system of written symbols used for a language, such as the Latin or Arabic alphabet.

    Grammar: Often modified by a language or alphabet name: Cyrillic script.

    Patterns

    • written in a script
    • a script for a language

    The sign was written in Arabic script.

    Korean uses a script that was designed to be easy to learn.

    Some languages have more than one script.

  3. noununcountable

    Handwriting, or letters that imitate handwriting, with joined-up strokes.

    Grammar: Contrasted with print or block capitals.

    Patterns

    • in script

    The invitation was printed in elegant script.

    Her grandmother's neat script filled the pages of the recipe book.

  4. nouncountablecomputing

    A short program or list of commands that a computer runs automatically to perform a task.

    Grammar: Often written in languages like Python or JavaScript.

    Patterns

    • run a script
    • a script to do something

    He wrote a script to rename hundreds of photos in seconds.

    The website uses a script that loads the menu when you click it.

  5. verbtransitive

    To write the text for a film, play or program, or to plan every detail of an event in advance.

    Grammar: Takes an object: script a scene.

    Patterns

    • script something
    • be scripted

    She scripted the entire documentary herself.

    The speech was carefully scripted so that nothing could go wrong.

Word forms

pluralscripts
third person singularscripts
past tensescripted
past participlescripted
-ing formscripting

Common combinations

write a script
He plans to write a script for a comedy series.
follow the script
The candidate refused to follow the script prepared by his team.
run a script
Run the script again and see whether the error disappears.
Latin script
English is written in Latin script.
film script
The film script went through twelve drafts.
flip the script
The team flipped the script by winning the second game easily.

Synonyms and how they differ

screenplay
A screenplay is specifically a script for a film or television, whereas script can be for plays, speeches or radio too.
text
Text is the general word for any written words, and does not suggest performance like script.
handwriting
Handwriting means how a person writes by hand, while script in this sense also covers printed letters that imitate it.
alphabet
An alphabet is a particular set of letters, while a script can be a broader writing system including symbols.

Opposites

improvisation

Word family

scripted adjective
planned or written out in advance
scriptwriter noun
a person who writes scripts
scripting noun
writing short computer programs
scriptural adjective
relating to sacred writings (scripture)
scripture noun
sacred religious writing

Commonly confused: script or scrip?

script vs scrip

Scrip is a rare word for a substitute money or paper token, and it has one fewer letter than script.

Practice

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