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# scale

«scale» in Mova's school dictionary: **a tool for weighing things** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (scale, scales); verb (scale, scales, scaled, scaling)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A scale, or scales, is a tool for weighing things. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#m1)

2) A scale on a map or plan shows how real distances are made smaller: «1 cm stands for 1 km». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#m2)

3) A scale is a set of marks with numbers for measuring, like on a ruler or thermometer. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#m3)

4) Scales are the small hard plates on the skin of fish and snakes. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#m4)

5) A scale in music is notes going up or down in order. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#m5)

6) To scale a wall is to climb it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#m6)

### sense in the lessons

In school maths: weighing on a scale; reading a scale between marks; balance pans; a map scale (map length × scale = real distance); scale drawings. In science: reading scales on measuring jugs and thermometers; fish and reptile scales. In music: practising scales. Phrases: «on a scale of 1 to 10», «to scale», «large-scale», «kitchen scales».

### examples

- The scale shows 5 kg. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#x1)
- On the map, 1 cm stands for 2 km. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#x2)
- Put the apples on the scale. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#x3)
- The scale balances. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#x4)
- Fish and snakes are covered in scales. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#x5)
- She practises her piano scales every day. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#x6)
- On a scale of 1 to 10, how much did you like the film? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#x7)
- The climbers scaled the cliff. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#x8)
- Will you lend me your best pair of scales?" [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/#x9)

### note

«Scales» (plural) often means one weighing machine in the UK: «the kitchen scales». Maths: on a map scale, real distance = map length × scale. Read the marks between numbers carefully (each small mark may stand for 2, 5 or 10). Trap: a scale «balances» means both sides are equal.

### In the corpora

- [Shark skin is covered in tiny tooth-like scales called dermal denticles that help water flow smoothly, and some swimsuits copy them.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/28-sharks/14/)
- [Snakes have no eyelids; a clear scale covers each eye.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/87-reptile-house-snakes/11/)
- [The glasswing butterfly has clear patches on its wings with few scales, which makes it hard to see against leaves and flowers.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/98-the-butterfly-house/12/)
- [Pangolins are among the most smuggled mammals, killed for scales that are only keratin and cure nothing.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/366-odd-looking-animals-shoebills-star-nosed-moles-saigas-pangolins-and-hagfish/14/)
- [Hedgehog says «scales are a tremendous improvement on prickles».](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/83-justso-armadillos-2-the-first-armadillo/21/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «scale» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scale/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.