Definition of scale - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
measuring deviceUS instrument for measuring weightUS
- He weighed the package on the scale before shipping..
2.
musicseries of musical notes ascending or descending
- She practiced the C major scale on her violin..
3.
size measurerelative size or extent of something
- The map was drawn to a scale of 1:100000..
4.
animal skinsmall flat piece covering fish or reptiles
- The fish's scales shimmered in the sunlight.
5.
measurementTECH. ratio of depicted distance to actual distanceTECH.
- The map's scale is 1:100,000.
6.
skinthin flake of dead skin
- He brushed the scales off his shoulders.
7.
paymentstandard amount of money for a service
- The actor was paid according to the union scale.
8.
depositTECH. buildup of mineral deposits, especially in pipes or boilersTECH.
- The old pipes were clogged with scale..
Verb
1.
climbingtr. climb up or over somethingtr.
- He scaled the fence effortlessly..
2.
technologyintr. tolerate increased workload or demandintr.
- The server can scale to handle more users.
3.
resizingtr. TECH. adjust in size or rate proportionallytr. TECH.
- The image was scaled to fit the screen..
4.
measurementtr. TECH. measure by comparing something against fixed levelstr. TECH.
- The logs were scaled to estimate their value.
5.
descaletr. US remove scales from a surfacetr. US
- He scaled the fish before cooking it.
6.
scalyintr. become covered with scalesintr.
- The metal began to scale after exposure to moisture.
Images of scale
instrument for measuring weight 
small flat piece covering fish or reptiles 
buildup of mineral deposits, especially in pipes or boilers
Expressions with scale
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
decrease the intensity or frequency of an activity
The company decided to scale back its marketing efforts this quarter.
increase size, amount, or production gradually
The company plans to scale up operations next year..
reduce the size while keeping proportions
They decided to scale down the model for the presentation.
in a way that handles large quantities efficiently
The company can produce goods at scale.
beyond the normal range
His enthusiasm for the project is off the scale.
not correctly proportioned
The model was out of scale with the rest of the display.
sway the result toward one side or the other
One witness's testimony could tip the scale in the defendant's favor.
achieve great success or reach the highest level
She scaled the heights of the music industry.
give unfair help to one side in a situation
He put his thumb on the scale during the contest.
achieve a higher level of success
The company scaled new heights with its latest product launch.
remove a layer from a surface
The workers scaled off the old paint.
device that measures weight using electronic parts and a digital display
The nurse placed the baby gently on the electronic scale.
device for measuring weight of food or ingredients
Please use the kitchen scale to weigh the flour.
in a way that copies something but with reduced size or extent
The team tested the new process on a smaller scale first.
produced or done in large quantities
They initiated a large-scale manufacturing process.
set of ordered choices used to judge or measure something
Participants answered each question using a five-point rating scale.
temperature measurement scale where water freezes at 0 and boils at 100
The thermometer showed 28 degrees on the Celsius scale..
happening or affecting everywhere in the world
Climate change is a problem on a global scale.
very large or impressive in size or amount
They planned an on a grand scale celebration.
in a very large or extensive way
They produce goods on a huge scale.
in a way that involves many people or things
The company produces goods on a large scale.
in a way that involves very large size or amount
They produced goods on a massive scale.
happening or affecting all parts of a country
This is a problem on a national scale.
system determining employee pay based on factors
The company revised its pay scale last year.
Origin of scale
Latin, scala (ladder)
Terms with scale included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
distance scale
basic unit of length in the metric system
small scale
small representation of something larger
measurement scale
showing none, with no amount or size that can be measured
starting point
point on a scale where counting starts
evaluation
position or level on a scale
electricity
large-scale power failure affecting many people
cinema
movie genre focusing on large-scale catastrophes
very large
extremely large in size or scale
rating scale
classification system with three tiers
limited extent
with little effect or on a minor scale
display
small-scale house used for display
hobby scale
small-scale representation of a railway for hobbyists
smaller version
copy made at a smaller scale
global scale
global conflict involving many countries
rating
rated with three stars in a scale of quality or excellence
rating scale
third level or category in a classification
measurement
temperature scale with water freezing at 0 and boiling at 100 degrees
abr: Celsius
temperature scale where water freezes at zero
progression
stage in a process or scale
large amount
great in amount or scale
end of scale
either end of a scale or range
music
the musical interval five scale degrees higher
scale
exists on a very large scale
equality
equal in amount, status, or scale
Examples of scale in a sentence
The scale showed he had lost five pounds. He played the scale flawlessly during the recital. Learning the scale is fundamental for beginners. The scale of the project was overwhelming. They built a model to scale for the presentation. The reptile's scales felt rough to the touch.
She collected scales from different fish species. The architect used a scale of 1:50 for the model. The scale on the blueprint was hard to read. Dry scales gathered along the edge of the rash. The doctor examined a scale from his scalp. The plumber charges the standard scale for emergency visits. Her fee was below the published scale. The boiler efficiency dropped due to scale. Scale buildup can cause serious plumbing issues. She scaled the mountain with determination. They had to scale the wall to escape. Our application can scale to meet customer demands. The platform must scale efficiently during peak times. The chart was scaled to fit the page. The model was scaled down for the presentation. The fish were scaled before being sold at the market. The architect scaled the model to fit the display. The chef scaled two trout at the sink. Please scale the salmon before grilling it. Old paint can scale in the heat. The pipe scaled after years in damp air.
View all translations of scale
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:balance, escalader, ...
- German:Waage, erklettern, ...
- Italian:bilancia, scalare, ...
- Spanish:balanza, escalar, ...
- Portuguese:balança, escalar, ...
- Chinese:秤, 攀爬, ...
- Japanese:はかり, 登る, ...
- Arabic:مِيزَان, تسلقَ, ...
- Hebrew:מִשְׁקָל, לִטְפֹּס, ...
- Russian:весы, перелезать, ...
- Ukrainian:ваги, лазити, ...
- Hindi:तराजू, चढ़ना, ...
icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.
icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.
icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the