n. & v.
n. 1 each of the small thin bony or horny overlapping plates protecting the skin of fish and reptiles. 2 something resembling a fish-scale, esp.: a a pod or husk. b a flake of skin; a scab. c a rudimentary leaf, feather, or bract. d each of the structures covering the wings of butterflies and moths. e Bot. a layer of a bulb. 3 a a flake formed on the surface of rusty iron. b a thick white deposit formed in a kettle, boiler, etc. by the action of heat on water. 4 plaque formed on teeth.
v. 1 tr. remove scale or scales from (fish, nuts, iron, etc.). 2 tr. remove plaque from (teeth) by scraping. 3 intr. a (of skin, metal, etc.) form, come off in, or drop, scales. b (usu. foll. by off) (of scales) come off. scale-armour hist. armour formed of metal scales attached to leather etc. scale-board very thin wood used for the back of a mirror, picture, etc. scale-bug = scale insect. scale-fern any of various spleenworts, esp. Asplenium ceterach. scale insect any of various insects, esp. of the family Coccidae, clinging to plants and secreting a shieldlike scale as covering. scale-leaf a modified leaf resembling a scale. scale-moss a type of liverwort with scalelike leaves. scales fall from a person's eyes a person is no longer deceived (cf. Acts 9:18). scale-winged lepidopterous. scale-work an overlapping arrangement. scaled adj. (also in comb.). scaleless adj. scaler n.
[ ME f. OF escale f. Gmc, rel. to SCALE(2) ]