From Middle English scale, from Latin scāla, usually in plural scālae (“a flight of steps, stairs, staircase, ladder”), for *skand-slā, from scandō (“to climb”); see scan, ascend, descend, etc. Doublet of scala.
Meanings
(obsolete) A ladder; a series of steps; a means of ascending.
An ordered, usually numerical sequence used for measurement; means of assigning a magnitude.
Please rate your experience on a scale from 1 to 10.
The magnitude of an earthquake is measured on the open-ended Richter scale.
Size; scope.
We live our lives in three dimensions for our threescore and ten allotted years. Yet every branch of contemporary science, from statistics to cosmology, alludes to processes that operate on scales outside of human experience: the millisecond and the nanometer, the eon and the light-year. 2012 January 14, Robert L. Dorit, “Rereading Darwin”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 14 Nov 2012, page 23:
There are some who question the scale of our ambitions.
The ratio of depicted distance to actual distance.
This map uses a scale of 1:10.
A line or bar associated with a drawing, used to indicate measurement when the image has been magnified or reduced.
Even though precision can be carried to an extreme, the scales which now are drawn in (and usually connected to an appropriate figure by an arrow) will allow derivation of meaningful measurements. 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page ix:
A series of notes spanning an octave, tritave, or pseudo-octave, used to make melodies.
A mathematical base for a numeral system; radix.
the decimal scale, the binary scale
Gradation; succession of ascending and descending steps and degrees; progressive series; scheme of comparative rank or order.
There is a certain scale of duties […] which for want of studying in right order, all the world is in confusion. 1643, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce: […], London: […] T[homas] P[aine] and M[atthew] S[immons] […], →OCLC:
City's players and supporters travelled from one end of the emotional scale to the other in those vital seconds, providing a truly remarkable piece of football theatre and the most dramatic conclusion to a season in Premier League history. 2012 May 13, Phil McNulty, “Man City 3-2 QPR”, in BBC Sport:
A standard amount of money to be paid for a service, for example union-negotiated amounts received by a performer or writer; similar to wage scale or pay grade.
Sally wasn't the star of the show, so she was glad to be paid scale.
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subdominant (music: Terms related to scale) · focus (geography: Terms related to scale) · size (geography: Terms related to scale) · supertonic (music: Terms related to scale) · cartographic ratio (geography: Terms related to scale) · range (geography: Terms related to scale) · tonic (music: Terms related to scale) · extent (geography: Terms related to scale) · mediant (music: Terms related to scale) · submediant (music: Terms related to scale) · dominant (music: Terms related to scale) · leading note (music: Terms related to scale) · grain (geography: Terms related to scale) · support (geography: Terms related to scale) · resolution (geography: Terms related to scale) · octave interval (music: Terms related to scale)
sh stupnice (sequence for measurement) · el κλίμακα (series of notes) · eo skalo (series of notes) · cmn 尺度 (sequence for measurement) · hu beosztás (ratio of distances) · sk škála (sequence for measurement) · pl skala (size or scope) · bg маща́б (ratio of distances) · ca escala (sequence for measurement) · fi skaala (size or scope) · uk шкала́ (sequence for measurement) · ro scară (sequence for measurement) · he קנה מידה (ratio of distances) · nb skala (ratio of distances) · es escala (size or scope) · uk масшта́б (ratio of distances) · pt escala (line or bar used to indicate measurement) · sk škála (size or scope) · ja 目盛り (sequence for measurement) · fr échelle (series of notes) · it gamma (series of notes) · es magnitud (size or scope) · te స్కేలు (sequence for measurement) · my စကေး (ratio of distances) · fr échelle (sequence for measurement) · crh şkala (ratio of distances) · gd sgèile (ratio of distances) · ko 척도 (sequence for measurement) · fi asteikko (sequence for measurement) · fi mittakaava (line or bar used to indicate measurement) · ca escala (ratio of distances) · km មាត្រដ្ឋាន (ratio of distances) · sl lestvica (sequence for measurement) · pt escala (sequence for measurement) · te ప్రమాణము (sequence for measurement) · ja スケール (series of notes) · nl schaal (ratio of distances) · nb skala (series of notes) · eo gamo (series of notes) · ko 규모 (size or scope) · el έκταση (size or scope) · fr échelle (ratio of distances) · lt skalė (sequence for measurement) · ru га́мма (series of notes) · mi āwhata (ratio of distances) · nn skala (series of notes) · te కొలత (sequence for measurement) · nn skala (size or scope) · fa مقیاس (size or scope) · sv skala (sequence for measurement) · da størrelsesforhold (ratio of distances) · tl talasukuran (sequence for measurement) · cmn 規模 /规模 (size or scope) · te స్థాయి (size or scope) · fr échelle (size or scope) · tl talalakihan (sequence for measurement) · fi skaala (series of notes) · uk масшта́б (size or scope) · ko 정도 (ratio of distances) · nl schaal (sequence for measurement) · fi sävelasteikko (series of notes) · sl merilo (ratio of distances) · da skala (sequence for measurement) · de Maßstab (ratio of distances) · mi āwhata (series of notes) · ar مِيزَان (ratio of distances) · hy մասշտաբ (ratio of distances) · hy մասշտաբ (size or scope) · hu skála (series of notes) · sk stupnica (series of notes) · bg гама (series of notes) · el κλίμακα (sequence for measurement) · ja 大きさ (size or scope) · hi मापक्रम (size or scope) · lt mastas (size or scope) · fi mittakaava (ratio of distances) · it scala (sequence for measurement) · id tangga nada (series of notes) · ja 縮尺比 (ratio of distances) · ar سُلَّمٌ مُوسِيقِيّ (series of notes) · pt proporção (line or bar used to indicate measurement) · sv måttstock (ratio of distances) · ru масшта́б (ratio of distances) · nn skala (ratio of distances) · la scala (series of notes) · be шкала́ (sequence for measurement) · hi मापक्रम (ratio of distances) · hy սանդղակ (sequence for measurement) · es escala (series of notes) · es escala (ratio of distances) · nb skala (sequence for measurement) · az miqyas (size or scope) · ca escala (series of notes) · es gama (series of notes) · lt mastelis (ratio of distances) · fi luokka (size or scope) · yue 音階 /音阶 (series of notes) · crh şkala (size or scope) · ar مِقْيَاس (sequence for measurement) · da målestok (ratio of distances) · fa اندازه (size or scope) · sl velikost (size or scope) · sv skala (size or scope) · nl toonladder (series of notes) · nn skala (sequence for measurement) · cs stupnice (sequence for measurement) · crh şkala (sequence for measurement) · ko 음계 (series of notes) · tl talalakihan (ratio of distances) · ro scară (size or scope) · sl skala (sequence for measurement) · nl schaal (size or scope) · br skeul (ratio of distances) · ja 規模 (size or scope) · fr gamme (series of notes) · bg ска́ла (sequence for measurement) · pt tamanho (size or scope) · tl talasukatan (sequence for measurement) · be машта́б (size or scope) · tl talaantasan (size or scope) · es escala (sequence for measurement) · da skala (series of notes) · gd meudachd (size or scope) · ro gamă (series of notes) · lv mērogs (size or scope) · cmn 比例尺 (ratio of distances) · ar سُلَّم (gradation; progressive series; scheme of comparative rank or order) · gd sgèile (sequence for measurement) · de Skala (sequence for measurement) · he סולם (series of notes) · ko 눈금 (sequence for measurement) · shi taskala (sequence for measurement) · bg размер (size or scope) · el μέγεθος (size or scope) · fi mittakaava (size or scope) · es tamaño (size or scope) · it scala (series of notes) · nan-hbl 音階 /音阶 (series of notes) · sk škála (ratio of distances) · gl escala (sequence for measurement) · pt escala (ratio of distances) · pl skala (series of notes) · sl merilo (size or scope) · az miqyas (sequence for measurement) · sv skala (ratio of distances) · hi मापक्रम (sequence for measurement) · ru шкала́ (sequence for measurement) · ms skala (size or scope) · it scala (ratio of distances) · he סולם (sequence for measurement) · be машта́б (ratio of distances) · cs stupnice (series of notes) · cmn 音階 /音阶 (series of notes) · te పరిమాణము (size or scope) · de Tonleiter (series of notes) · sk stupnica (sequence for measurement) · es inmensidad (size or scope) · te స్కేలు (ratio of distances) · pl skala (ratio of distances) · cmn 標度 /标度 (sequence for measurement) · ja 等級 (sequence for measurement) · ru масшта́б (size or scope) · ab аихшарбага (sequence for measurement) · ur پیمانہ (size or scope) · sh ljestvica (sequence for measurement) · cs měřítko (ratio of distances) · ja 音階 (series of notes) · hu hangsor (series of notes) · pl skala (sequence for measurement) · de Ausmaß (size or scope) · fi asteikko (gradation; progressive series; scheme of comparative rank or order) · km សន្ទមាលា (series of notes) · el κλίμακα (ratio of distances) · pt escala (series of notes) · vi âm giai (series of notes) · sv skala (series of notes) · cs škála (size or scope) · mi tauine (sequence for measurement) · tl sukuran (sequence for measurement) · ja 強度 (sequence for measurement) · nb skala (size or scope) · gd sgèile (series of notes) · sl lestvica (series of notes) · fi asteikko (series of notes) · es envergadura (size or scope) · sh mjerilo (ratio of distances)
From Middle English scale, from Latin scāla, usually in plural scālae (“a flight of steps, stairs, staircase, ladder”), for *skand-slā, from scandō (“to climb”); see scan, ascend, descend, etc. Doublet of scala.
Meanings
(transitive) To change the size of something whilst maintaining proportion; especially to change a process in order to produce much larger amounts of the final product.
We should scale that up by a factor of 10.
(transitive) To climb to the top of.
A solitary rock is always attractive. All right-minded people feel an overwhelming desire to scale and sit upon it. 1932, Dorothy L Sayers, chapter 1, in Have his Carcase:
At last I came to the great barrier-cliffs; and after three days of mad effort—of maniacal effort—I scaled them. I built crude ladders; I wedged sticks in narrow fissures; I chopped toe-holds and finger-holds with my long knife; but at last I scaled them. Near the summit I came upon a huge cavern. 1918 September–November, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Land That Time Forgot”, in The Blue Book Magazine, Chicago, Ill.: Story-press Corp., →OCLC; republished as chapter IX, in Hugo Gernsback, editor, Amazing Stories, (please specify |part=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Experimenter Publishing, 1927, →OCLC:
Hilary and Norgay were the first known to have scaled Everest.
The dead leap at the throat, destroy
The meaning of the day; dark forms
Have scaled your walls, and spies betray
Old secrets to amorphous swarms. 1941, Theodore Roethke, “Feud”, in Open House, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A[braham] Knopf, →OCLC; republished in The Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke, London: Faber and Faber […], 1968, →OCLC, page 4:
(intransitive) To tolerate significant increases in throughput or other potentially limiting factors.
That architecture won't scale to real-world environments.
(of systems, qualifier:computing or systems engineering) To handle heavily increasing loads without breaking down.
We started using the term “scaling” in place of “growing” around the late 1990s to early 2000s, primarily due to the rise of venture-backed startups in Silicon Valley. The term migrated from tech/infrastructure (“can this system scale?”) to startups (“can this business scale?”) May 12, 2025, Sarah Levinger, Post of "X" (formerly "Twitter")
(qualifier:marketing and venture management; coordinate term to "grow"; marketing and venture management; coordinate term to "grow") To increase revenues exponentially without proportional increases in costs.
We started using the term “scaling” in place of “growing” around the late 1990s to early 2000s, primarily due to the rise of venture-backed startups in Silicon Valley. [...] VCs needed a way to describe businesses that could grow exponentially without adding proportional headcount or expense. So scalability became the holy grail. The term migrated from tech/infrastructure (“can this system scale?”) to startups (“can this business scale?”) and now everyone from lifestyle brands to DTC businesses use it as a universal term for "make business go big." (By the mid-2010s, “scale” was in every pitch deck and founder tweet, even if what they really meant was: “We’re trying to 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸, but we want to sound smarter so we're using the term "scale".”) This change in language actually had a HUGE effect on the minds of the people who were operating businesses across the globe. May 12, 2025, Sarah Levinger, Post of "X" (formerly "Twitter")
Being able to move swiftly, try new things is critical in startups, so there shouldn't be friction upstream, but you need to make sure you have good process to purge things that don't scale with the rest. 2024, Alexandre Mathieu, Post on "Linked in"
(transitive) To weigh, measure or grade according to a scale or system.
The kitchen-dining-buffet car scales 49.2 tons. 1962 July, G. Freeman Allen, “The New "Rheingold"”, in Modern Railways, page 25:
Scaling his present bearing with his past. c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:
(transitive) To take measurements from (an engineering drawing), treating them as (or as if) reliable dimensional instructions.
Every single drawing in the specification has a warning in its title block which reads, "Do not scale this drawing."
From Middle English scale, from Old French escale, from Frankish and/or Old High German skala, from Proto-Germanic *skalō. Cognate with Old English sċealu (“shell, husk”), whence the modern doublet shale. Further cognate with Dutch schaal, German Schale, French écale.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) Part of an overlapping arrangement of many small, flat and hard pieces of keratin covering the skin of an animal, particularly a fish or reptile.
Fish that, with their fins and shining scales, / Glide under the green wave. 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
(countable, uncountable) A small piece of pigmented chitin, many of which coat the wings of a butterfly or moth to give them their color.
(countable, uncountable) A flake of skin of an animal afflicted with dermatitis.
(countable, uncountable) Part of an overlapping arrangement of many small, flat and hard protective layers forming a pinecone that flare when mature to release pine nut seeds.
(uncountable) The flaky material sloughed off heated metal.
(countable, uncountable) Scale mail (as opposed to chain mail).
(uncountable) Limescale.
(countable, uncountable) A scale insect.
(countable, uncountable) The thin metallic side plate of the handle of a pocketknife.
(US, uncountable) An infestation of scale insects on a plant; commonly thought of as, or mistaken for, a disease.
Although of no effect so far as the course of the small outbreak at Nacaugai is concerned it is necessary to add here that the prompt destruction of kavika trees over much of the neighbouring land on Nagasau estate was in all probability an important measure of control and responsible for the freedom from scale of Nagasau estate at the time when Mua was badly attacked. 1935 March 14, T[homas] H. C. Taylor, “The Campaign against Aspidiotus destructor, Sign., in Fiji”, in Bulletin of Entomological Research, volume 26, Imperial Institute of Entomology, →DOI, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 96:
fa کچ (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · vi vảy (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · fi hilse (flake of skin) · fi suomu (pine nut) · sh kȑljūšt (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · fa برگستوان (scale mail) · nn skjel (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · my အကြေး (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ms sisik (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · uz tangacha (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ko 비늘 (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · tl kaliskis (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · de Schuppe (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · es escama (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · mi unahi (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · be лу́ска (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · tr pul (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · moh ótstaʼ (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · bg лю́спа (coloured chitin) · egy S:n:f-t:N33C (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ka ქერცლი (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · da skæl (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · mel nap (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · sk šupina (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ar فَلْس (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ur کھپرا (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · bg лю́спа (flake of skin) · az ərp (flaky material sloughed off heated metal) · ja 鱗 (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ky кабык (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · tl kalisdahon (pine nut) · oc placa (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · te పొలుసు (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · sl luska (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · haw unahi (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · kl tattak (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · lo ເກັດ (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · tg пулакча (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ang sċiell (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · nb skjell (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · mi inohi (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · izh soomus (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · kqr sisi (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · de Schuppe (flake of skin) · yi שופּ (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · el λέπι (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · bg лю́спа (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · grc λεπίς (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ba тәңкә (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · sl luska (flake of skin) · af skub (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · fi suomu (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · oc escauma (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · fr barbure (flaky material sloughed off heated metal) · sh ljȕska (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · fr écaille (pine nut) · sq luspë (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · bg накип (flaky material sloughed off heated metal) · ar حَرْشَف (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · de Schuppenpanzer (scale mail) · sh љу̏ска (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · vo tegül (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · hi पपड़ी (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · fa پولک (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · lv zvīņas (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · nl schub (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · fa حرشف (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · hu pikkely (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · fr écaille (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · eu ezkata (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ccc ijtaka (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ru чешуя́ (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · pt escama (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ro scuamă (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · pl łuska (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ka ქიცვი (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · oc escata (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · hy թեփուկ (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · xug 鱗 (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ny mamba (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · lv zvīņas (pine nut) · km ស្រកា (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · la squāma (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · it squama (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · he קשקש (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · mel sisiek (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · hrx Schullep (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · kk қабыршақ (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ceb kalis (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · cmn 鱗 /鳞 (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · lt žvynai (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ain ラㇺラㇺ (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · fr écaille (coloured chitin) · scn scagghia (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · fi suomu (coloured chitin) · ca escata (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ru чешу́йка (coloured chitin) · nrf êcrède (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · zza pul (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · fi suomupanssari (scale mail) · mn хайрс (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ro solz (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · az axça (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · pl łuska (flake of skin) · ja 鱗粉 (coloured chitin) · ru чешу́йка (flake of skin) · ryu 鱗 (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · mk крлушка (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · mvv sisi' (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · bdr sisik (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · cs okuj (flaky material sloughed off heated metal) · lo ຂອດ (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · uk лу́ска (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · et soomus (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · th เกล็ด (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · fi pajahilse (flaky material sloughed off heated metal) · ja 鱗片 (pine nut) · fa فلس (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · eo skvamo (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ast escama (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · az ağça (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · lnj iwin (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · hy թեփ (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · cs šupina (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · sne sisik (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · sh кр̏љӯшт (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · scn scagghia (flaky material sloughed off heated metal) · id sisik (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ky кабырчык (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ur کھپلا (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · sv fjällpansar (scale mail) · fr squame (flake of skin) · sv fjäll (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ru на́кипь (flaky material sloughed off heated metal) · ja 鱗片 (coloured chitin) · it scaglia (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · hrx Schupp (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals) · ka ქერქლი (keratin pieces covering the skin of certain animals)
From Middle English scale, from Old French escale, from Frankish and/or Old High German skala, from Proto-Germanic *skalō. Cognate with Old English sċealu (“shell, husk”), whence the modern doublet shale. Further cognate with Dutch schaal, German Schale, French écale.
Meanings
(transitive) To remove the scales of.
Please scale that fish for dinner.
(intransitive) To become scaly; to produce or develop scales.
The dry weather is making my skin scale.
(transitive) To take off in thin layers or scales, as tartar from the teeth; to pare off, as a surface.
1684-1690, Thomas Burnet, Sacred Theory of the Earth
if all the mountains and hills were scaled, and the earth made even
(intransitive) To separate and come off in thin layers or laminae.
Those that cast their shell are the lobster and crab; the old skins are found, but the old shells never; so it is likely that they scale off. 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
Some sandstone scales by exposure.
(Scotland, UK, dialectal) To scatter; to spread.
(transitive) To clean, as the inside of a cannon, by the explosion of a small quantity of powder.
cannons […]caused to be scaled and loaded 1816, Jedadiah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], Tales of My Landlord, […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for William Blackwood, […]; London: John Murray, […], →OCLC:
fi hilseillä (to separate and come off in thin layers) · ka აქერცვლა (remove the scales of) · mi unahi (remove the scales of) · fi hilseillä (become scaly) · sv fjälla (become scaly) · es escamar (remove the scales of) · ca escatar (remove the scales of) · it squamare (remove the scales of) · fr écailler (remove the scales of) · ja 肌荒れを起こす (become scaly) · sv fjälla (remove the scales of) · tet kiki (remove the scales of) · ja ガサガサにする (become scaly) · ja 鱗を落とす (remove the scales of) · de schuppen (become scaly) · yi שאָבן (remove the scales of) · fi poistaa hilse (to strip or clear of scale) · se čuopmat (remove the scales of) · bg лющя (remove the scales of) · de entschuppen (remove the scales of) · ka აქერცვლა (to strip or clear of scale) · bg лющя се (become scaly) · tft tungi (remove the scales of) · pt descamar (remove the scales of) · oc escatar (remove the scales of) · fi kuoria (to take off in thin layers or scales) · kea skamá (remove the scales of) · gl escamar (remove the scales of) · pl ociągnąć (remove the scales of) · fi höylätä (to take off in thin layers or scales) · ja 鱗を除く (remove the scales of) · pl ociągać (remove the scales of) · pt escamar (remove the scales of) · ru чисти́ть (remove the scales of) · kea skama (remove the scales of) · fi suomustaa (remove the scales of)
Inherited from Northern Middle English scale (non-Northern scole), from Old Norse skál (“bowl”) from Proto-Germanic *skēlō. Compare Danish skål (“bowl, cup”), Dutch schaal, German Schale, Old High German scāla, Old English scealu (“cup”).
Meanings
A device to measure mass or weight.
After the long, lazy winter I was afraid to get on the scale.
Either of the pans, trays, or dishes of a balance or scales.
enm scole (dish of a balance) · ru ча́ша весо́в (dish of a balance) · pt prato (dish of a balance) · pl szala (dish of a balance) · fr plateau (dish of a balance) · fi vaakakuppi (dish of a balance) · xcl թաթ (dish of a balance) · grc πλάστιγξ (dish of a balance) · ja 天秤 (dish of a balance) · fa پله (dish of a balance) · de Waagschale (dish of a balance) · bg блюдо на везна (dish of a balance) · hy նժար (dish of a balance) · sh тас (dish of a balance) · sh tas (dish of a balance) · es platillo (dish of a balance) · nl weegschaal (dish of a balance) · ja 秤 (dish of a balance) · sv vågskål (dish of a balance) · km ថាសជញ្ជីង (dish of a balance)