# scale

/ˈskeɪɫ/ (US) · /skˈeɪl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/scale
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. weighing machine

noun · CEFR A2

a device used to measure how heavy something or someone is.

For teachers: an instrument or machine used to measure weight or mass. Often used in the plural form 'scales' to refer to a single device.

- She stepped on the bathroom scale to check her weight before breakfast.
- The laboratory technician calibrated the digital scale to ensure the chemical measurements were accurate to the milligram.

### 2. size or scope

noun · CEFR B1

the size, level, or importance of something, especially when it is large.

For teachers: the relative size, extent, or degree of something. Often used in the phrase 'on a large scale'.

- The company began producing the new phone on a massive scale.
- The humanitarian crisis was on such a vast scale that local authorities were quickly overwhelmed by the number of refugees.

### 3. measurement system

noun · CEFR B1

a set of numbers or levels used to measure or compare things.

For teachers: a graduated series of steps or values used for measurement or classification.

- On a scale of one to ten, how much does your head hurt?
- The Richter scale provides a logarithmic measure of the total energy released during an earthquake.

### 4. map ratio

noun · CEFR B2

the relationship between the size of a map and the real area it shows.

For teachers: the ratio of the distance on a map or drawing to the corresponding distance in the real world.

- The map has a scale of one centimetre to one kilometre.
- Without a clear scale on the architectural drawing, it was impossible to determine the actual dimensions of the living room.

### 5. Music

noun · CEFR B1

a series of musical notes that go up or down in order.

For teachers: a sequence of notes arranged in ascending or descending order of pitch, typically spanning an octave.

- The piano student practised her major scales for an hour every day.
- The composer utilised a pentatonic scale to give the melody a distinct folk-like quality.

### 6. animal skin

noun · CEFR B2

one of the small, flat, hard pieces that cover the skin of fish and snakes.

For teachers: one of the many small, overlapping rigid plates forming the protective outer covering of fish and reptiles.

- The fish had shiny silver scales that caught the light.
- Biologists can often determine the age of certain fish species by examining the growth rings on their scales.

### 7. to climb

verb · CEFR B2 · Literary

to climb up to the top of something very high and steep.

For teachers: to climb up or over something high, steep, or difficult to reach. Transitive use.

- The mountain climbers managed to scale the cliff before dark.
- The soldiers used ladders to scale the castle walls during the midnight raid.

### 8. to adjust size

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to change the size of something so it stays in the right proportion.

For teachers: to adjust the size or capacity of a system or object proportionally. Often used in computing regarding performance.

- You can scale the image down so it fits on the page.
- The cloud infrastructure was designed to scale automatically as user traffic increased during peak hours.

Usage: Often used with 'up' or 'down' as a phrasal verb.

## Examples

- The scale of the problem is much larger than we thought.
- The company needs to increase production on a global scale to meet the rising demand for its products.
- Architects must consider how the scale of a new skyscraper will affect the surrounding historic neighborhood and the overall city skyline.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.