scale

scale
I UK [skeɪl] / US noun
Word forms "scale":
singular scale plural scales
***
1)
a) [singular/uncountable] the size of something, especially when it is big
scale of:

Is the Government aware of the full scale of the problem?

on a large/small/grand/massive etc scale:

This is sculpture on a grand scale.

b) the rate at which something is produced, developed etc
scale of:

The scale of production in the factory has increased this year.

••
See:
2) [countable, usually singular] a set of people or things arranged in order from the highest level to the lowest or from the lowest level to the highest

The rich are at the top of the social scale.

At the other end of the scale are worms and the tiny sea creatures.

a) a range of measurements in a particular system

the Celsius scale of temperature

on a scale of 1 to 10:

We were told to rate the films on a scale of 1 to 10.

b) a list showing the amount of money that someone should be paid for a particular job, according to their qualifications, experience etc
salary/pay/fee scale:

The salary scale is £22,086 to £32,311.

c) a set of marks, usually lines and numbers, on a piece of equipment or a drawing, used for measuring something

the vertical scale on the graph

3) [countable/uncountable] the relationship between the actual distance or size of something and how it is shown on a map or in a drawing or model

This map has a scale of 1:20,000.

a scale of a half-inch to the mile

4) scales
[plural] a piece of equipment used for weighing people or things

a pair/set of scales

He weighed himself on the bathroom scales.

See:
tip II
5) [countable] music a series of musical notes in a fixed order from the lowest to the highest or the highest to the lowest

She was practising scales on her new piano.

6)
a) [uncountable] a hard white substance that forms on the inside of water pipes and containers that are regularly used for heating water
b) tartar that forms on your teeth
7) [countable, usually plural] one of the small hard flat pieces of skin on the body of a fish, snake, or similar animal
•

a scale model/drawing etc — a small copy of something larger in which each part is made smaller by the same amount so that the relation between them is the same as in the original thing

a scale model of the Great Pyramid


II UK [skeɪl] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "scale":
present tense I/you/we/they scale he/she/it scales present participle scaling past tense scaled past participle scaled
1) to climb to or over the top of a high steep object such as a mountain or a wall

Student protesters scaled an 8-foot fence to enter the Embassy grounds.

2)
a) to remove scales from fish
b) to remove scale from teeth
•

scale new/dizzy/great heights — to achieve a high level of success in a particular activity

The team scaled new heights with their Cup Final victory.

They never dreamed of scaling such dizzy heights.

Phrasal verbs:

English dictionary. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР
Synonyms:
(of a balance) / / , / , , , , , , , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • SCALE-UP — is a learning environment specifically created to facilitate active, collaborative learning in a studio like setting. Some people think the rooms look more like restaurants than classrooms [ J. Gaffney, E. Richards, M.B. Kustusch, L. Ding, and R …   Wikipedia

  • scale — scale1 [skāl] n. [ME < LL scala (in Vulg., Jacob s ladder) < L, usually as pl., scalae, flight of stairs, ladder < * scandsla < scandere, to climb: see DESCEND] 1. Obs. a) a ladder or flight of stairs b) any means of ascent 2 …   English World dictionary

  • Scale — Scale, n. [Cf. AS. scealu, scalu, a shell, parings; akin to D. schaal, G. schale, OHG. scala, Dan. & Sw. skal a shell, Dan. ski[ae]l a fish scale, Goth. skalja tile, and E. shale, shell, and perhaps also to scale of a balance; but perhaps rather… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Scale — Scale, n. [L. scalae, pl., scala staircase, ladder; akin to scandere to climb. See {Scan}; cf. {Escalade}.] 1. A ladder; a series of steps; a means of ascending. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 2. Hence, anything graduated, especially when employed as a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • scale — Ⅰ. scale [1] ► NOUN 1) each of the small overlapping plates protecting the skin of fish and reptiles. 2) a thick dry flake of skin. 3) a white deposit formed in a kettle, boiler, etc. by the evaporation of water containing lime. 4) tartar formed… …   English terms dictionary

  • Scale — (sk[=a]l), n. [AS. sc[=a]le; perhaps influenced by the kindred Icel. sk[=a]l balance, dish, akin also to D. schaal a scale, bowl, shell, G. schale, OHG. sc[=a]la, Dan. skaal drinking cup, bowl, dish, and perh. to E. scale of a fish. Cf. {Scale}… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Scale — Scale, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Scaled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Scaling}.] To weigh or measure according to a scale; to measure; also, to grade or vary according to a scale or system. [1913 Webster] Scaling his present bearing with his past. Shak. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Scale — Scale, v. t. 1. To strip or clear of scale or scales; as, to scale a fish; to scale the inside of a boiler. [1913 Webster] 2. To take off in thin layers or scales, as tartar from the teeth; to pare off, as a surface. If all the mountains were… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Scale — Scale, v. t. [Cf. It. scalare, fr. L. scalae, scala. See {Scale} a ladder.] To climb by a ladder, or as if by a ladder; to ascend by steps or by climbing; to clamber up; as, to scale the wall of a fort. [1913 Webster] Oft have I scaled the craggy …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Scale-up —   [skeɪl ʌp, englisch] das, , Bezeichnung für die Maßstabsvergrößerung bei Anlagen der Verfahrenstechnik. Nach der häufig angewandten Ähnlichkeitstheorie werden bei der Übertragung von Laborergebnissen in den großtechnischen Maßstab möglichst… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • scale — [n1] graduated system calibration, computation, degrees, extent, gamut, gradation, hierarchy, ladder, order, pecking order*, progression, proportion, range, ranking, rate, ratio, reach, register, rule, scope, sequence, series, spectrum, spread,… …   New thesaurus

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