Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - scale

 I. noun  Etymology: Middle English scole, ~ bowl, ~ of a balance, from Old Norse skal; akin to Old Norse skel shell — more at shell  Date: 14th century  1.  a. either pan or tray of a balance  b. a beam that is supported freely in the center and has two pans of equal weight suspended from its ends — usually used in plural  2. an instrument or machine for weighing  II. verb  (~d; scaling)  Date: 1691  transitive verb to weigh in ~s  intransitive verb to have a specified weight on ~s  III. noun  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French e~, eschale, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English scealu shell, husk — more at shell  Date: 14th century  1.  a. a small, flattened, rigid, and definitely circumscribed plate forming part of the external body covering especially of a fish  b. a small thin plate suggesting a fish ~ ~s of mica the ~s on a moth's wing  c. the scaly covering of a ~d animal  2. a small thin dry lamina shed (as in many skin diseases) from the skin  3. a thin coating, layer, or incrustation: as  a. a usually black scaly coating of oxide forming on the surface of a metal (as iron) when it is heated for processing  b. a hard incrustation usually rich in sulfate of calcium that is deposited on the inside of a vessel (as a boiler) in which water is heated  4.  a. a modified leaf protecting a seed plant bud before expansion  b. a thin, membranous, chaffy, or woody bract  5.  a. any of the small overlapping usually metal pieces forming the outer surface of ~ armor  b. ~ armor  6.  a. ~ insect  b. infestation with or disease caused by ~ insects  • ~d adjective  • ~less adjective  IV. verb  (~d; scaling)  Date: 15th century  transitive verb  1. to remove the ~ or ~s from (as by scraping) ~ a fish  2. to take off in thin layers or ~s ~ tartar from the teeth  3. to throw (as a thin flat stone) so that the edge cuts the air or so that it skips on water ; skim  intransitive verb  1. to separate and come off in ~s ; flake  2. to shed ~s scaling skin  V. verb  (~d; scaling)  Etymology: Middle English, from 6~  Date: 14th century  transitive verb  1.  a. to attack with or take by means of scaling ladders ~ a castle wall  b. to climb up or reach by means of a ladder  c. to reach the highest point of ; surmount ~ a mountain  2.  a. to arrange in a graduated series  b.  (1) to measure by or as if by a ~  (2) to measure or estimate the sound content of (as logs)  c. to pattern, make, regulate, set, or estimate according to some rate or standard ; adjust a production schedule ~d to actual need — often used with back, down, or up ~ down imports  intransitive verb  1. to climb by or as if by a ladder  2. to rise in a graduated series  3. measure  VI. noun  Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin scala ladder, staircase, from Latin scalae, plural, stairs, rungs, ladder; akin to Latin scandere to climb — more at scan  Date: 15th century  1.  a. obsolete ladder  b. archaic a means of ascent  2. a graduated series of musical tones ascending or descending in order of pitch according to a specified scheme of their intervals  3. something graduated especially when used as a measure or rule: as  a. a series of marks or points at known intervals used to measure distances (as the height of the mercury in a thermometer)  b. an indication of the relationship between the distances on a map and the corresponding actual distances  c. ruler 3  4.  a. a graduated series or scheme of rank or order a ~ of taxation  b. minimum wage 2  5.  a. a proportion between two sets of dimensions (as between those of a drawing and its original)  b. a distinctive relative size, extent, or degree projects done on a large ~  6. a graded series of tests or of performances used in rating individual intelligence or achievement  • ~ adjective  VII. noun  Etymology: 5~  DaTE: CIRCA 1587  1. obsolete escalade  2. an estimate of the amount of sound lumber in logs or standing timber