an ordered reference standard
"judging on a scale of 1 to 10"
the ratio between the size of something and a representation of it
"the scale of the map"
"the scale of the model"
a specialized leaf or bract that protects a bud or catkin
"The botanist carefully peeled back the protective scale to reveal the delicate flower buds hidden beneath."
a thin flake of dead epidermis shed from the surface of the skin
"She gently peeled away the dry scale from her elbow before applying lotion."
(music) a series of notes differing in pitch according to a specific scheme (usually within an octave)
"The jazz musician improvised a smooth melody that perfectly followed the blues scale."
a measuring instrument for weighing; shows amount of mass
"She placed the package on the kitchen scale to check its weight before shipping it out."
an indicator having a graduated sequence of marks
"The pilot checked the altimeter scale to ensure they were climbing at the correct rate."
a flattened rigid plate forming part of the body covering of many animals
"The cat gently scratched its neck, causing several loose scales to fall onto the rug."
A ladder; a series of steps; a means of ascending.
"I need to put my luggage on the scale at the airport check-in counter before we board the flight."
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.
A device to measure mass or weight.
In plain English: A scale is a measuring tool used to weigh objects.
"The fish has bright orange scales that shimmer in the sunlight."
pattern, make, regulate, set, measure, or estimate according to some rate or standard
"The architect scaled the blueprints to ensure every room met the strict safety regulations for occupancy."
climb up by means of a ladder
"We have to scale the fire escape quickly before the police arrive."
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.
"Before cooking the fish, I carefully scaled it to wash away all the loose skin from its body."
To remove the scales of.
In plain English: To scale means to climb up something difficult, like a wall or mountain.
"The company plans to scale up its production next year."
Usage: Use this verb when you increase or decrease production capacity while keeping all components proportional. It is often confused with "expand," but scale specifically implies that every part grows at the same rate as the whole.
The word scale comes from the Latin word scāla, which originally meant a flight of steps or a ladder. It entered English through Middle English to describe both climbing structures and the layered coverings found on fish and reptiles.