scale
[noun]
flake, lamina, layer, plate
————————
[noun]
Synonyms:
- graduation, gradation, hierarchy, ladder, progression, ranking, sequence, series, steps
- ratio, proportion
- degree, extent, range, reach, scope
[verb]
Synonyms:
- climb, ascend, clamber, escalade, mount, surmount
- adjust, proportion, regulate

---

Related Words: chip (off), spall (off)

---

English Thesaurus: climb, ascend, go up, scale, clamber, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. scale¹ S2 W2 /skeɪl/ noun

1. SIZE/LEVEL [singular, uncountable] the size or level of something, or the amount that something is happening
scale of
We had underestimated the scale of the problem.
on a large/small/grand etc scale
There has been housing development on a massive scale since 1980.
Most alternative technologies work best on a small scale.
A structural survey revealed the full scale of the damage.
I was shocked by the sheer scale (=very big scale) of the destruction.
on a global/international/world scale
Pollution could cause changes to weather patterns on a global scale.
Large firms benefit from economies of scale (=ways of saving money because they are big).

2. RANGE [countable usually singular] a whole range of different types of people or things, from the lowest level to the highest:
Some rural schools have 50 pupils, while at the other end of the scale are city schools with nearly 5,000 pupils.
up/down the scale
She gradually made her way up the social scale.
animals which are lower down the evolutionary scale (=the range of animals that have developed gradually over a long time)

3.
FOR WEIGHING scales [plural] British English, scale [countable] American English a machine for weighing people or objects:
a set of kitchen scales
some new bathroom scales (=scales that you use to weigh yourself) ⇒ tip the balance/scales at tip²(6)

4. MEASURING SYSTEM [countable] a system of numbers that is used for measuring the amount, speed, quality etc of something
on a scale
The earthquakes measured 7 on the Richter scale.
changes to the company’s pay scale
Your performance will be judged on a scale of 1 to 10.
We use a sliding scale (=in which prices are not firmly fixed) for charges.

5. MEASURING MARKS [countable] a set of marks with regular spaces between them on a tool that is used for measuring, or on the side of a mathematical drawing:
a ruler with a metric scale

6. MAP/MODEL [uncountable and countable] the relationship between the size of a map, drawing, or model and the actual size of the place or thing that it represents:
a map with a scale of 1:250,000
to scale
All our models are made to scale.
scale model/drawing etc (=one done using a strict scale)
a scale drawing of the Eiffel Tower

7. MUSIC [countable] a series of musical notes that become higher or lower, with fixed distances between each note:
the scale of G major

8. FISH [countable usually plural] one of the small flat pieces of skin that cover the bodies of fish, snakes etc

9. TEETH [uncountable] British English a white substance that forms on your teeth

10. WATER PIPES [uncountable] a white substance that forms around the inside of hot water pipes or containers in which water is boiled

11. the scales fell from sb’s eyes literary used to say that someone suddenly realized something important
⇒ full-scale

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. scale² verb [transitive]

1. to climb to the top of something that is high and difficult to climb:
Rescuers had to scale a 300-metre cliff to reach the injured climber.

2. technical to make writing or a picture the right size for a particular purpose
scale something to something
The writing can be scaled to any size, depending on the paper.

3. scale the heights to be extremely successful:
By the age of 21, he had already scaled the heights in the academic world.
scale something ↔ down/back phrasal verb
to reduce the amount or size of something ⇒ decrease:
The emergency aid programme has now been scaled down.
scale something ↔ up phrasal verb
to increase the amount or size of something:
Production at the factory is being scaled up.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

scale
noun
I. size/extent
ADJ. full It was several days before the full scale of the accident became clear.
big, considerable, grand, greater, huge, large, massive, monumental, vast | modest, small | sheer It is difficult to comprehend the sheer scale of the suffering caused by the war.
unprecedented a misuse of presidential power on an unprecedented scale
ambitious, lavish Do they always entertain on such a lavish scale?
global, international, national, regional, world | commercial The dolls are now produced on a commercial scale.
human The city would operate on a more human scale if cars were banned from the centre.
VERB + SCALE increase | reduce
PREP. in ~ The paintings are small in scale.
on a ~ pollution on a massive scale
PHRASES an economy of scale Economies of scale enable the larger companies to lower their prices.
the scale of the problem

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

scale
II. range of values
ADJ. fixed | sliding Benefits are paid on a sliding scale according to family income.
rating | time Can you give me any sort of time scale for the completion of the building work?
evolutionary | social | pay, salary, wage The company has a five-point pay scale.
Beaufort, Richter The earthquake measured 6.4 on the Richter scale.
VERB + SCALE go/move down/up, rise up He has risen up the social scale from rather humble beginnings.
SCALE + VERB go/range from … to … a scale ranging from ‘utterly miserable’ to ‘deliriously happy’
PREP. on a/the ~ Where do birds come on the evolutionary scale?
~ of … to … On a scale of 1 to 10, he scores 7.
PHRASES the bottom/end/top of the scale After 10 years, she had worked her way to the top of the pay scale.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

scale
III. relation between actual size and size of a model, etc.
VERB + SCALE draw sth to | have
SCALE + NOUN drawing, model He's made a scale model of the Eiffel Tower.
PREP. to ~ The plan of the building is not drawn to scale.
~ of … to … The map has a scale of one centimetre to the kilometre. a scale of 1: 25,000

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

scale
IV. in music
ADJ. major, minor | chromatic, diatonic, diminished, pentatonic, whole-tone
VERB + SCALE play, sing | practise We could hear her practising her scales.
PREP. ~ of the scale of C major

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

scale
V. on a fish, etc.
ADJ. overlapping | fine, thin | armoured | fish
VERB + SCALE be covered in/with

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

scale

on a large scale
This technology has been developed on a large scale in the US.
on a massive/huge scale
The drug is produced on a massive scale.
on a grand scale (=very large and impressive)
The Romans built on a grand scale.
on a small scale
They started by producing and selling on a small scale.
on a human scale (=one that is small enough for people to understand and be happy with)
Architects have been asked to redesign some of the buildings on a more human scale.
on a national scale (=involving the whole country)
The survey was carried out on a national scale.
on an international scale (=involving more than one country)
Preparations to deal with an outbreak of the disease are being made on an international scale.
on a global/world scale (=involving the whole world)
This is a product that can be sold in high volumes on a global scale.
on an unprecedented scale (=more than ever before)
Propaganda techniques were used on an unprecedented scale.
economies of scale (=ways of saving money that are available to large organizations)
Merging these departments will create economies of scale.
the full scale of something
He acknowledged that the full scale of the problem was not known.
the sheer scale of something (=used for emphasis)
He was shocked by the sheer scale of the suffering he witnessed.
the top of a scale
At the top of the scale come the predators.
the bottom of a scale
He started at the bottom of the pay scale.
the end of a scale (=the top or bottom)
At the other end of the scale, the youngest competitor was just sixteen years old.
further/higher up a scale
Peasants managed their land as skilfully as some people higher up the social scale.
further/lower down a scale
Bonuses are not paid to people lower down the salary scale.
the social scale
At the other end of the social scale, life is a constant struggle to get enough to eat.
the evolutionary scale (=the way in which animals have developed over time from simple ones to more complicated and more intelligent ones)
Birds are much lower on the evolutionary scale than dogs.
a pay/salary scale
As a senior teacher, she has reached the top of her pay scale.
move up/down a scale
Some farmers prospered and moved up the social scale.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

climb to move up, down, or across something using your hands and feet:
Most kids love climbing trees.
Several fans climbed onto the roof of the arena to get a better view.
She climbed down the ladder.
ascend formal to climb up something:
He began to ascend the narrow winding staircase.
the first man to ascend Mount Everest
go up to climb up something such as a slope or stairs:
He went up the steps to the platform.
Sonia was quiet as they went up the hill.
scale formal to climb to the top of something such as a high wall or fence:
Somehow the men had scaled the twenty-foot wall without setting off the alarm.
Protestors scaled the walls of the building and hung banners.
Rescuers had to scale a one-thousand-foot cliff before they could reach the injured climber.
clamber to climb somewhere with difficulty, using your hands to help you:
At last we saw the two girls clambering down the slope to safety.
Everyone clambered onto the back of the truck.
scramble to climb somewhere quickly and with difficulty, using your hands to help you, especially when you are walking:
They scrambled up the steep rocky bank.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

scale
̈ɪskeɪl
See: to scale

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲