I. ˈskāl noun
Etymology: Middle English scole, scale bowl, scale of a balance, from Old Norse skāl; akin to Old Norse skel shell — more at shell
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : either pan or tray of a balance
b. : a beam that is supported freely in the center and has two pans of equal weight suspended from its ends — usually used in plural
2. : an instrument or machine for weighing
II. verb
( scaled ; scal·ing )
Date: 1691
transitive verb
: to weigh in scales
intransitive verb
: to have a specified weight on scales
III. noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French escale, eschale, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English scealu shell, husk — more at shell
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : a small, flattened, rigid, and definitely circumscribed plate forming part of the external body covering especially of a fish
b. : a small thin plate suggesting a fish scale
scale s of mica
the scale s on a moth's wing
c. : the scaly covering of a scaled animal
2. : a small thin dry lamina shed (as in many skin diseases) from the skin
3. : a thin coating, layer, or incrustation: as
a. : a usually black scaly coating of oxide forming on the surface of a metal (as iron) when it is heated for processing
b. : a hard incrustation usually rich in sulfate of calcium that is deposited on the inside of a vessel (as a boiler) in which water is heated
4.
a. : a modified leaf protecting a seed plant bud before expansion
b. : a thin, membranous, chaffy, or woody bract
5.
a. : any of the small overlapping usually metal pieces forming the outer surface of scale armor
b. : scale armor
6.
a. : scale insect
b. : infestation with or disease caused by scale insects
• scaled ˈskā(ə)ld adjective
• scale·less ˈskāl-ləs adjective
IV. verb
( scaled ; scal·ing )
Date: 15th century
transitive verb
1. : to remove the scale or scales from (as by scraping)
scale a fish
2. : to take off in thin layers or scales
scale tartar from the teeth
3. : to throw (as a thin flat stone) so that the edge cuts the air or so that it skips on water : skim
intransitive verb
1. : to separate and come off in scales : flake
2. : to shed scales
scaling skin
V. verb
( scaled ; scal·ing )
Etymology: Middle English, from scale (VI)
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1.
a. : to attack with or take by means of scaling ladders
scale a castle wall
b. : to climb up or reach by means of a ladder
c. : to reach the highest point of : surmount
scale a mountain
2.
a. : to arrange in a graduated series
b.
(1) : to measure by or as if by a scale
(2) : to measure or estimate the sound content of (as logs)
c. : to pattern, make, regulate, set, or estimate according to some rate or standard : adjust
a production schedule scaled to actual need
— often used with back, down, or up
scale down imports
intransitive verb
1. : to climb by or as if by a ladder
2. : to rise in a graduated series
3. : measure
VI. noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin scala ladder, staircase, from Latin scalae, plural, stairs, rungs, ladder; akin to Latin scandere to climb — more at scan
Date: 15th century
1.
a. obsolete : ladder
b. archaic : a means of ascent
2. : a graduated series of musical tones ascending or descending in order of pitch according to a specified scheme of their intervals
3. : something graduated especially when used as a measure or rule: as
a. : a series of marks or points at known intervals used to measure distances (as the height of the mercury in a thermometer)
b. : an indication of the relationship between the distances on a map and the corresponding actual distances
c. : ruler 3
4.
a. : a graduated series or scheme of rank or order
a scale of taxation
b. : minimum wage 2
5.
a. : a proportion between two sets of dimensions (as between those of a drawing and its original)
b. : a distinctive relative size, extent, or degree
projects done on a large scale
6. : a graded series of tests or of performances used in rating individual intelligence or achievement
• scale adjective
•
- to scale
VII. noun
Etymology: scale (V)
Date: circa 1587
1. obsolete : escalade
2. : an estimate of the amount of sound lumber in logs or standing timber