The dish of a balance; hence, the balance
itself; an instrument or machine for weighing; as, to turn the
scale; -- chiefly used in the plural when applied to the whole
instrument or apparatus for weighing. Also used
figuratively.
The sign or
constellation Libra.
To weigh or measure according to a scale] to
measure; also, to grade or vary according to a scale or
system.
One of the small, thin, membranous, bony or horny
pieces which form the covering of many fishes and reptiles, and some
mammals, belonging to the dermal part of the skeleton, or
dermoskeleton. See Cycloid, Ctenoid, and
Ganoid.
Hence, any layer or leaf of metal or other
material, resembling in size and thinness the scale of a fish; as, a
scale of iron, of bone, etc.
One of the small
scalelike structures covering parts of some invertebrates, as those on
the wings of Lepidoptera and on the body of Thysanura; the elytra of
certain annelids. See Lepidoptera.
A scale insect. (See
below.)
A small appendage like a
rudimentary leaf, resembling the scales of a fish in form, and often
in arrangement; as, the scale of a bud, of a pine cone, and the
like. The name is also given to the chaff on the stems of
ferns.
The thin metallic side plate of the handle
of a pocketknife. See Illust. of Pocketknife.
An incrustation deposit on the inside of a
vessel in which water is heated, as a steam boiler.
The thin oxide which forms
on the surface of iron forgings. It consists essentially of the
magnetic oxide, Fe3O4. Also, a similar coating
upon other metals.
To strip or clear of scale or scales; as, to scale a fish;
to scale the inside of a boiler.
To take off in thin layers or scales, as
tartar from the teeth; to pare off, as a surface.
To scatter; to spread.
To clean, as the inside of a
cannon, by the explosion of a small quantity of powder.
To
separate and come off in thin layers or laminæ]; as, some
sandstone scales by exposure.
To separate; to scatter.
A ladder; a
series of steps; a means of ascending.
Hence, anything graduated, especially when
employed as a measure or rule, or marked by lines at regular
intervals.
Gradation; succession of ascending and
descending steps and degrees; progressive series; scheme of
comparative rank or order; as, a scale of being.
Relative dimensions, without difference in
proportion of parts; size or degree of the parts or components in any
complex thing, compared with other like things; especially, the
relative proportion of the linear dimensions of the parts of a
drawing, map, model, etc., to the dimensions of the corresponding
parts of the object that is represented; as, a map on a scale
of an inch to a mile.
To climb by a ladder, or as if by a ladder; to ascend by steps or
by climbing; to clamber up; as, to scale the wall of a
fort.
To lead up by steps;
to ascend.