Collins English-English Dictionary

scale [skeɪl]

1. 1. n any of the numerous plates, made of various substances resembling enamel or dentine, covering the bodies of fishes

2. 2. n any of the horny or chitinous plates covering a part or the entire body of certain reptiles and mammals

3. 3. n any of the numerous minute structures covering the wings of lepidoptera

4. 4. n a thin flat piece or flake

5. 5. n a thin flake of dead epidermis shed from the skin: excessive shedding may be the result of a skin disease

6. 6. n a specialized leaf or bract, esp the protective covering of a bud or the dry membranous bract of a catkin

7. 7. n See scale insect

8. 8. n a flaky black oxide of iron formed on the surface of iron or steel at high temperatures

9. 9. n any oxide formed on a metal during heat treatment

10. 10. n another word for limescale

11. 11. vt. [tr] to remove the scales or coating from

12. 12. vt. to peel off or cause to peel off in flakes or scales

13. 13. vi. [intr] to shed scales

14. 14. vi. to cover or become covered with scales, incrustation, etc

15. 15. vt. [tr] to throw (a disc or thin flat object) edgewise through the air or along the surface of water

16. 16. vi. [intr] [Austral] [Spoken] to ride on public transport without paying a fare

17. 17. vt. [tr] [South African] [Slang] to steal (something)

18. 18. vt. [Etymology] C14: from Old French escale, of Germanic origin; compare Old English scealu shell

scale [skeɪl]

1. 1. n [often plural] a machine or device for weighing

2. 2. n one of the pans of a balance

3. 3. vt. [tr] to weigh with or as if with scales

4. 4. vt. to have a weight of

5. 5. vt. [Etymology] C13: from Old Norse skal bowl, related to Old High German scala cup, Old English scealu shell, scale¹

scale [skeɪl]

1. 1. n a sequence of marks either at regular intervals or else representing equal steps used as a reference in making measurements

2. 2. n a measuring instrument having such a scale

3. 3. n the ratio between the size of something real and that of a model or representation of it

   the scale of the map was so large that we could find our house on it

4. 4. n (as modifier)

   a scale model

5. 5. n a line, numerical ratio, etc, for showing this ratio

6. 6. n a progressive or graduated table of things, wages, etc, in order of size, value, etc

   a wage scale for carpenters

7. 7. n an established measure or standard

8. 8. n a relative degree or extent

   he entertained on a grand scale

9. 9. n [music] a group of notes taken in ascending or descending order, esp within the compass of one octave

10. 10. n [maths] the notation of a given number system

    the decimal scale

11. 11. n a graded series of tests measuring mental development, etc

12. 12. n [obsolete] a ladder or staircase

13. 13. vb to climb to the top of (a height) by or as if by a ladder

14. 14. vt. [tr] to make or draw (a model, plan, etc) according to a particular ratio of proportionate reduction

15. 15. vt. [tr; usually foll by up or down] to increase or reduce proportionately in size, etc

16. 16. vt. [US and Canadian] (in forestry) to estimate the board footage of (standing timber or logs)

17. 17. vt. See also scale back

18. 18. vt. [Etymology] C15: via Italian from Latin scala ladder; related to Old French eschiele, Spanish escala