scale

¹scale

noun \ˈskāl\

Definition of SCALE

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

Origin of SCALE

Middle English scole, scale bowl, scale of a balance, from Old Norse skāl; akin to Old Norse skel shell — more at shell

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with SCALE

ail, ale, bail, bale, Bâle, brail, braille, Braille, dale, fail, flail, frail, Gael, gale, Gale, grail, hail, hale, jail, kale, mail, male, nail, pail, pale, quail, Quayle, rail, sail, sale, shale, snail, stale, swale, tael, tail, taille, tale, trail, vail, vale, veil, wail, wale, whale, Yale

²scale

verb

scaledscal·ing

Definition of SCALE

transitive verb

: to weigh in scales

intransitive verb

: to have a specified weight on scales

First Known Use of SCALE

1691

Other Weights and Measures Terms

avoirdupois weight, calorie, denier, kip, pace, twain

³scale

noun

Definition of SCALE

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 <scales of mica> <the scales 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

Origin of SCALE

Middle English, from Anglo-French escale, eschale, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English scealu shell, husk — more at shell

First Known Use: 14th century

⁴scale

verb

scaledscal·ing

Definition of SCALE

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>

First Known Use of SCALE

15th century

⁵scale

verb

scaledscal·ing

Definition of SCALE

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

Origin of SCALE

Middle English, from ⁶scale

First Known Use: 14th century

⁶scale

noun

Definition of SCALE

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

: according to the proportions of an established scale of measurement <floor plans drawn to scale>

Origin of SCALE

Middle English, from Late Latin scala ladder, staircase, from Latin scalae, plural, stairs, rungs, ladder; akin to Latin scandere to climb — more at scan

First Known Use: 15th century

Other Weights and Measures Terms

avoirdupois weight, calorie, denier, kip, pace, twain

⁷scale

noun

Definition of SCALE

1

obsolete : escalade

2

: an estimate of the amount of sound lumber in logs or standing timber

Origin of SCALE

⁵scale

First Known Use: circa 1587

scale

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Examples of the chromatic, major, and minor scales.—© Merriam-Webster Inc.

In music, primary pitches of a key or mode arranged within an octave. Scales are distinguished by the pattern of the intervals between adjacent notes. A scale can be seen as an abstraction from melody—that is, the pitches of a melody arranged in stepwise order.