scaling

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
scale1

▶noun

• 1 each of the small overlapping horny or bony plates protecting the skin of fish and reptiles.

  ■ each of numerous microscopic tile-like structures covering the wings of butterflies and moths.

  ■ a rudimentary leaf, feather, or bract.

• 2 a thick dry flake of skin.

• 3 a white deposit formed in a kettle, boiler, etc. by the evaporation of water containing lime.

  ■ tartar formed on teeth.

  ■ a coating of oxide formed on heated metal.

▶verb

• 1 remove scale or scales from.

• 2 (often as noun scaling) (especially of the skin) form scales.

  ■ come off in scales; flake off.

– phrases
the scales fall from someone's eyes someone is no longer deceived. [with biblical ref. to Acts 9:18.]

– derivatives
-scaled adjective,
scaleless adjective,
scaler noun.

– origin ME: shortening of OFr. escale, from the Gmc base of scale2.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
scale2

▶noun (usu. scales) an instrument for weighing, originally a simple balance but now usually a device with an electronic or other internal weighing mechanism.

■ either of the dishes on a simple balance.

▶verb have a weight of.

– phrases
throw something on (or into) the scale contribute something to one side of an argument or debate.
tip (or turn) the scales (or balance) be the deciding factor; make the critical difference.

– origin ME (in the sense ‘drinking cup’, surviving in S. Afr. Engl.): from ON skál ‘bowl’, of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
scale3

▶noun

• 1 a graduated range of values forming a standard system for measuring or grading something.

  ■ a measuring instrument based on such a system.

• 2 the relative size or extent of something: no one foresaw the scale of the disaster.

  ■ a ratio of size in a map, model, drawing, or plan.

• 3 Music an arrangement of the notes in any system of music in ascending or descending order of pitch.

▶verb

• 1 climb up or over (something high and steep).

• 2 represent or draw according to a common scale.

  ■ (of a quantity or property) be variable according to a particular scale.

• 3 (scale something back/down or up) reduce (or increase) something in size, number, or extent.

– phrases
to scale with a uniform reduction or enlargement: not drawn to scale.
in scale in proportion to the surroundings.

– derivatives
scaler noun.

– origin ME: from L. scala ‘ladder’, from the base of L. scandere ‘to climb’.