Scale

[skeɪl] or [skel]

Definition

(noun.) a flattened rigid plate forming part of the body covering of many animals.

(noun.) an indicator having a graduated sequence of marks.

(noun.) a measuring instrument for weighing; shows amount of mass.

(noun.) (music) a series of notes differing in pitch according to a specific scheme (usually within an octave).

(noun.) a thin flake of dead epidermis shed from the surface of the skin.

(noun.) a specialized leaf or bract that protects a bud or catkin.

(noun.) relative magnitude; 'they entertained on a grand scale'.

(noun.) the ratio between the size of something and a representation of it; 'the scale of the map'; 'the scale of the model'.

(noun.) an ordered reference standard; 'judging on a scale of 1 to 10'.

(verb.) size or measure according to a scale; 'This model must be scaled down'.

(verb.) measure with or as if with scales; 'scale the gold'.

(verb.) remove the scales from; 'scale fish'.

(verb.) pattern, make, regulate, set, measure, or estimate according to some rate or standard.

(verb.) climb up by means of a ladder.

(verb.) reach the highest point of; 'We scaled the Mont Blanc'.

(verb.) take by attacking with scaling ladders; 'The troops scaled the walls of the fort'.

(verb.) measure by or as if by a scale; 'This bike scales only 25 pounds'.

Typist: Sam--From WordNet

Definition

(n.) The dish of a balance; hence, the balance itself; an instrument or machine for weighing; as, to turn the scale; -- chiefly used in the plural when applied to the whole instrument or apparatus for weighing. Also used figuratively.

(n.) The sign or constellation Libra.

(v. t.) To weigh or measure according to a scale; to measure; also, to grade or vary according to a scale or system.

(n.) One of the small, thin, membranous, bony or horny pieces which form the covering of many fishes and reptiles, and some mammals, belonging to the dermal part of the skeleton, or dermoskeleton. See Cycloid, Ctenoid, and Ganoid.

(n.) Hence, any layer or leaf of metal or other material, resembling in size and thinness the scale of a fish; as, a scale of iron, of bone, etc.

(n.) One of the small scalelike structures covering parts of some invertebrates, as those on the wings of Lepidoptera and on the body of Thysanura; the elytra of certain annelids. See Lepidoptera.

(n.) A scale insect. (See below.)

(n.) A small appendage like a rudimentary leaf, resembling the scales of a fish in form, and often in arrangement; as, the scale of a bud, of a pine cone, and the like. The name is also given to the chaff on the stems of ferns.

(n.) The thin metallic side plate of the handle of a pocketknife. See Illust. of Pocketknife.

(n.) An incrustation deposit on the inside of a vessel in which water is heated, as a steam boiler.

(n.) The thin oxide which forms on the surface of iron forgings. It consists essentially of the magnetic oxide, Fe3O4. Also, a similar coating upon other metals.

(v. t.) To strip or clear of scale or scales; as, to scale a fish; to scale the inside of a boiler.

(v. t.) To take off in thin layers or scales, as tartar from the teeth; to pare off, as a surface.

(v. t.) To scatter; to spread.

(v. t.) To clean, as the inside of a cannon, by the explosion of a small quantity of powder.

(v. i.) To separate and come off in thin layers or laminae; as, some sandstone scales by exposure.

(v. i.) To separate; to scatter.

(n.) A ladder; a series of steps; a means of ascending.

(n.) Hence, anything graduated, especially when employed as a measure or rule, or marked by lines at regular intervals.

(n.) A mathematical instrument, consisting of a slip of wood, ivory, or metal, with one or more sets of spaces graduated and numbered on its surface, for measuring or laying off distances, etc., as in drawing, plotting, and the like. See Gunter's scale.

(n.) A series of spaces marked by lines, and representing proportionately larger distances; as, a scale of miles, yards, feet, etc., for a map or plan.

(n.) A basis for a numeral system; as, the decimal scale; the binary scale, etc.

(n.) The graduated series of all the tones, ascending or descending, from the keynote to its octave; -- called also the gamut. It may be repeated through any number of octaves. See Chromatic scale, Diatonic scale, Major scale, and Minor scale, under Chromatic, Diatonic, Major, and Minor.

(n.) Gradation; succession of ascending and descending steps and degrees; progressive series; scheme of comparative rank or order; as, a scale of being.

(n.) Relative dimensions, without difference in proportion of parts; size or degree of the parts or components in any complex thing, compared with other like things; especially, the relative proportion of the linear dimensions of the parts of a drawing, map, model, etc., to the dimensions of the corresponding parts of the object that is represented; as, a map on a scale of an inch to a mile.

(v. t.) 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.

(v. i.) To lead up by steps; to ascend.

Typed by Borg

Synonyms and Synonymous

n. [1]. Dish (of a balance).[2]. Balance.[3]. Gradation, progressive series.[4]. Lamina, layer, flake, LAMELLA, thin plate.

v. a. Climb, ascend, escalade, mount, clamber up.

Checker: Shari

Synonyms and Antonyms

SYN:Layer, lamina, flake

Typed by Dewey

Definition

n. a ladder: series of steps: a graduated measure: (mus.) a series of all the tones ascending or descending from the keynote to its octave called the gamut: the order of a numeral system: gradation: proportion: series.—v.t. to mount as by a ladder: to ascend: to draw in true proportion: to measure logs: to decrease proportionally as every part.—v.i. to lead up by steps: (Scot.) to disperse to spill to spread as manure.—ns. Scale′-board (print.) a thin slip of wood for extending a page to its true length making types register securing uniformity of margin &c.; Scale′-pipette′ a tubular pipette with a graduated scale for taking up definite quantities of liquid; Scal′ing-ladd′er a ladder used for the escalade of an enemy's fortress: a fireman's ladder: (her.) a bearing representing a ladder with two hooks and two ferrules.

n. one of the small thin plates on a fish or reptile: a thin layer: a husk: the covering of the leaf-buds of deciduous trees: a piece of cuticle that is squamous or horny: a flake: an encrustation on the side of a vessel in which water is heated.—v.t. to clear of scales: to peel off in thin layers.—v.i. to come off in thin layers.—ns. Scale′-arm′our armour consisting of scales of metal overlapping each other: plate-mail; Scale′-back a marine worm covered with scales.—adjs. Scale′-bear′ing having scales as the sea-mice; Scaled having scales: covered with scales.—ns. Scale′-dove an American dove having the plumage marked as with scales; Scale′-fish a dry cured fish as the haddock; Scale′-foot the scabbard-fish; Scale′-in′sect any insect of the homopterous family Coccid.—adj. Scale′less without scales as the scaleless amphibians.—n. Scale′-moss certain plants which resemble moss.—adj. Scale′-patt′ern having a pattern resembling scales.—ns. Scale′-quail an American quail having scale-like markings of the plumage; Scā′ler one who makes a business of scaling fish: an instrument used by dentists in removing tartar.—adjs. Scale′-tailed having scales on the under side of the tail; Scale′-winged having the wings covered with minute scales as a butterfly.—ns. Scale′-work scales lapping over each other; Scale′-worm a scale-back: Scal′iness the state of being scaly: roughness; Scal′ing the process of removing scales from a fish or encrustations from the interior of a boiler; Scal′ing-fur′nace a furnace in which plates of iron are heated for the purpose of scaling them as in tinning.—adj. Scal′y covered with scales: like scales: shabby: (bot.) formed of scales.

n. the dish of a balance: a balance as to turn the scale—chiefly in pl.: (pl.) Libra one of the signs of the zodiac.—v.t. to weigh as in scales: to estimate.—ns. Scale′-beam the beam or lever of a balance; Scale′-microm′eter in a telescope a graduated scale for measuring distances; Scāl′ing the process of adjusting sights to a ship's guns.—Beam and scales a balance; Gunter's scale a scale for solving mechanically problems in navigation and surveying.

Edited by Denny