scale3

 
Pronunciation: /skeɪl/

noun

  • 1a graduated range of values forming a standard system for measuring or grading something: company employees have hit the top of their pay scales
  • the full range of different levels of people or things, from lowest to highest: two men at opposite ends of the social scale at the other end of the scale, premiership clubs are forced to pay huge wages
  • a series of marks at regular intervals in a line used in measuring something: the mean delivery time is plotted against a scale on the right
  • a device having a series of marks at regular intervals for measuring: she read the exact distance off a scale
  • a rule determining the distances between marks on a scale: the vertical axis is given on a logarithmic scale
  • 2 [in singular] the relative size or extent of something: no one foresaw the scale of the disaster everything in the house is on a grand scale
  • [often as modifier] a ratio of size in a map, model, drawing, or plan: a one-fifth scale model of a seven-storey building an Ordnance map on a scale of 1:2500
  • 3 Music an arrangement of the notes in any system of music in ascending or descending order of pitch: the scale of C major
  • 4 (in full scale of notation) Mathematics a system of numerical notation in which the value of a digit depends upon its position in the number, successive positions representing successive powers of a fixed base: the conversion of the number to the binary scale
  • 5 Photography the range of exposures over which a photographic material will give an acceptable variation in density.

verb

[with object]
  • 1climb up or over (something high and steep): thieves scaled a high fence
  • 2represent in proportional dimensions; reduce or increase in size according to a common scale: (as adjective scaled) scaled plans of the house
  • [no object] (of a quantity or property) be variable according to a particular scale.
  • 3North American estimate the amount of timber that will be produced from (a log or uncut tree): the operators were accustomed to having their logs scaled for inventory control

Phrases

play (or sing or practise) scales

Music perform the notes of a scale as an exercise for the fingers or voice.

to scale

with a uniform reduction or enlargement: it is hard to build models to scale from a drawing

in scale

(of a drawing or model) in proportion to the surroundings.

Phrasal Verbs

scale something back/down (or up)

reduce (or increase) something in size, number, or extent: manufacturing capacity has been scaled down

Derivatives

scaler

noun

Origin:

late Middle English: from Latin scala 'ladder' (the verb via Old French escaler or medieval Latin scalare 'climb'), from the base of Latin scandere 'to climb'