each of the small, thin horny or bony plates protecting the skin of fish and reptiles, typically overlapping one another
an instrument for weighing, originally a simple balance (a pair of scales) but now usually a device with an electronic or other internal weighing mechanism
a graduated range of values forming a standard system for measuring or grading something
a graded scale of wages or salaries paid within a particular organization or profession
(of a drawing or model) in proportion to the surroundings
a scale with arbitrary markings, used with a hydrometer to measure the relative density of liquids
a hydrometer scale for measuring the amount of sugar in a solution at a given temperature
a scale of hardness used in classifying minerals. It runs from 1 to 10 using a series of reference minerals, and position on the scale depends on ability to scratch minerals rated lower
very thin wood used (especially formerly) in bookbinding, making hatboxes, and backing pictures
a small modified leaf, especially a colourless membranous one, such as on a rhizome or forming part of a bulb
a marine bristle worm with scales on the upper surface which have a protective function, and in some species are able to luminesce
a scale of tornado severity with numbers from 0 to 6, based on the degree of observed damage
a scale of temperature with absolute zero as zero, and the triple point of water as exactly 273.16 degrees
an obsolete scale of temperature at which water freezes at 0° and boils at 80° under standard conditions
a numerical scale for expressing the magnitude of an earthquake on the basis of seismograph oscillations. The more destructive earthquakes typically have magnitudes between about 5.5 and 8.9; it is a logarithmic scale and a difference of one represents an approximate thirtyfold difference in magnitude
armour consisting of small overlapping plates of metal, leather, or horn
a small bug with a protective shield-like scale. It spends most of its life attached by its mouth to a single plant, sometimes occurring in such large numbers that it becomes a serious pest
a scale of fees, taxes, wages, etc. that varies in accordance with the variation of a particular standard
the hierarchical structure of society or of a society