Meaning of scale In English

• 0 a set of numbers, amounts, etc., used to measure or compare the level of something:

  • the Centigrade/Fahrenheit scale

  • How would you rate his work on a scale of 1 to 5?

  • a scale of 1:50,000

  • This map is large scale (= things are shown in detail).

  • Is the bridge drawn to scale (= so that it shows the exact shape of the bridge, but much smaller)?

  • He was building a scale model of the Empire State Building.

• 1 the size or level of something, especially when this is large:

  • We don't yet know the scale of the problem.

  • Nuclear weapons cause destruction on a massive scale (= cause a lot of destruction).

  • My parents used to entertain friends on a large/small scale (= they had large/small parties).

• 2 a device for weighing things or people:

  • kitchen/bathroom scales

• 3 a set of notes played or sung in order, going up or down:

  • the scale of G major

  • You should practise your scales every day.

• 4 one of the many very small, flat pieces that cover the skin of fish, snakes, etc.

• 5 a hard, white or grey layer of material that forms on the inside of pipes or containers that heat water

• 6 to climb up a steep surface, such as a wall or the side of a mountain, often using special equipment:

  • The prisoner scaled the high prison wall and ran off.

• 7 to remove tartar (= hard white substance) and plaque (= soft substance in which bacteria breed) from teeth:

  • The dentist scaled and polished my teeth last week.

• 8 a range of numbers used as a system to measure or compare things:

  • Restaurant ratings are on a scale of zero to five stars.

• 9 a series of marks in a line with regular spaces between them for measuring, or an object for measuring marked in this way:

  • The two scales show inches and centimeters.

• 10 the size or level of something in comparison to what is average:

  • Our problems are like those in the city, just on a smaller scale.

• 11 a device for weighing people or things:

  • a baby scale

  • a postal scale

• 12 the relationship of the size of a map, drawing, or model of something to the size of the actual thing:

  • [ C ] The model was built at a 1-inch-to-1-foot scale.

• 13 a set of musical notes in which each note is higher or lower than the previous one by a particular amount:

  • Tyler practices scales on the piano every day.

• 14 any of the thin pieces of hard skin covering the bodies of fish, snakes, and lizards

• 15 to climb up something steep, such as a cliff or wall:

  • He scaled a steep cliff beside the river.

• 16 the size or level of something, especially when this is large:

  • the scale of sth We failed to recognize the scale of the problem.

  • on a large/small scale.

  • on a global/national/international scale

• 17 a set of numbers, amounts, etc. used to measure or compare the level of something:

  • on a scale of 1 to 10/zero to 100, etc. How would you rate his work on a scale of 1 to 5?

  • at the top/bottom of the scale

• 18 the relation between the real size of something and its size on a map, model, or diagram:

  • to scale The map is drawn to scale.

  • a scale drawing/model

• 19 a piece of equipment for weighing things or people:

  • The mail is weighed on a scale.