scale

The size or amount of something, especially how large or serious it is.

• The scale of the problem surprised us.
• They built houses on a large scale.
• We had never organized an event on this scale.

How to use it: the scale of something (We did not understand the scale of the damage.); on a large/small scale (They produce cheese on a small scale.)

Similar words: size, extent, scope

Common phrases: large scale, scale of something, on this scale

A device that shows how heavy a person or thing is.

• Put the flour on the scale.
• The bathroom scale showed that I had lost weight.
• These kitchen scales are easy to use.

Similar words: weighing machine, balance

Common phrases: bathroom scale, kitchen scale, digital scale

A series of numbers or levels used to measure or compare something.

• Rate the service on a scale of one to five.
• The thermometer uses the Celsius scale.
• Her answers were at the top of the rating scale.

How to use it: on a scale of/from… (Rate the pain on a scale of one to ten.)

Common phrases: on a scale, rating scale, temperature scale

A set of musical notes arranged from low to high or high to low.

• Play a scale on the piano.
• She practises her scales every morning.
• This song uses notes from the minor scale.

Common phrases: major scale, minor scale, play a scale

One of the small, hard, flat pieces covering the skin of fish and some other animals.

• A silver scale fell from the fish.
• The snake has smooth scales.
• These scales protect the animal’s skin.

Common phrases: fish scale, snake scale, covered in scales

To make something larger or smaller while keeping its parts in the same proportions.

• You can scale the image to fit.
• The company scaled up production last year.
• We need to scale down our plans.

How to use it: scale something up/down (We scaled up production to meet demand.); scale something to something (Scale the image to half its original size.)

Similar words: resize

Common phrases: scale up, scale down, scale an image

To climb to the top of a high wall, mountain, or other steep surface.

• They scaled the garden wall.
• She hopes to scale the mountain next summer.
• The climbers scaled the cliff without ropes.

Similar words: climb, ascend

Common phrases: scale a wall, scale a mountain, scale a cliff

To develop small, dry pieces on the surface, especially on skin.

• Dry skin can scale.
• The skin on his hands started to scale.
• Her scalp was scaling after the treatment.

Similar words: flake

Common phrases: skin may scale, begin to scale