scale back — (something) to reduce the size or amount of something. The search for the child was scaled back sharply today, with almost a third of the volunteers heading home. The program was very effective, but the plan now is to scale it back. Usage notes:… … New idioms dictionary
scale back — ˌscale ˈdown ˌscale ˈback [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they scale down he/she/it scales down … Useful english dictionary
scale back — PHRASAL VERB To scale back means the same as to scale down. [mainly AM] [V P n (not pron)] Despite current price advantage, UK manufacturers are still having to scale back production. [Also V n P] Syn: decrease … English dictionary
scale back/down — [phrasal verb] scale back/down (something) or scale (something) back/down : to decrease the size, amount, or extent of (something) The committee scaled down the budget. The company has scaled back production. We scaled bac … Useful english dictionary
scale back something — scale back (something) to reduce the size or amount of something. The search for the child was scaled back sharply today, with almost a third of the volunteers heading home. The program was very effective, but the plan now is to scale it back.… … New idioms dictionary
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 — 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 — scale1 [ skeıl ] noun *** ▸ 1 size/degree/level/rate ▸ 2 arranged set ▸ 3 relationship of distance ▸ 4 for weighing ▸ 5 series of musical notes ▸ 6 hard flat piece of skin ▸ 7 substance on pipes ▸ + PHRASES 1. ) singular or uncount the size of… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
scale — 1 /skeIl/ noun 1 SIZE/LEVEL (singular, uncountable) the size or level of something, or the amount that something is happening or being done (+ of): The scale of the pollution problem was much worse than scientists had predicted. | large/small etc … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
scale — [[t]ske͟ɪl[/t]] ♦♦ scales, scaling, scaled 1) N SING: also no det, with supp If you refer to the scale of something, you are referring to its size or extent, especially when it is very big. → See also , large scale, small scale However, he… … English dictionary