The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scale \Scale\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scaled; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Scaling.]
   To weigh or measure according to a scale; to measure; also,
   to grade or vary according to a scale or system.
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         Scaling his present bearing with his past. --Shak.
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   To scale a debt, wages, etc. or To scale down a debt,
   wages, etc., to reduce a debt, etc., according to a fixed
      ratio or scale. [U.S.]
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scale \Scale\ (sk[=a]l), n. [AS. sc[=a]le; perhaps influenced by
   the kindred Icel. sk[=a]l balance, dish, akin also to D.
   schaal a scale, bowl, shell, G. schale, OHG. sc[=a]la, Dan.
   skaal drinking cup, bowl, dish, and perh. to E. scale of a
   fish. Cf. Scale of a fish, Skull the brain case.]
   1. 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.
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            Long time in even scale
            The battle hung.                      --Milton.
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            The scales are turned; her kindness weighs no more
            Now than my vows.                     --Waller.
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   2. pl. (Astron.) The sign or constellation Libra.
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   Platform scale. See under Platform.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scale \Scale\, v. i.
   1. To separate and come off in thin layers or laminae; as,
      some sandstone scales by exposure.
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            Those that cast their shell are the lobster and
            crab; the old skins are found, but the old shells
            never; so it is likely that they scale off. --Bacon.
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   2. To separate; to scatter. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scale \Scale\, n. [Cf. AS. scealu, scalu, a shell, parings; akin
   to D. schaal, G. schale, OHG. scala, Dan. & Sw. skal a shell,
   Dan. skiael a fish scale, Goth. skalja tile, and E. shale,
   shell, and perhaps also to scale of a balance; but perhaps
   rather fr. OF. escale, escaile, F. ['e]caille scale of a
   fish, and ['e]cale shell of beans, pease, eggs, nuts, of
   German origin, and akin to Goth. skalja, G. schale. See
   Shale.]
   1. (Anat.) 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.
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            Fish that, with their fins and shining scales,
            Glide under the green wave.           --Milton.
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   2. 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.
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   3. (Zool.) 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.
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   4. (Zool.) A scale insect. (See below.)
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   5. (Bot.) 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.
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   6. The thin metallic side plate of the handle of a
      pocketknife. See Illust. of Pocketknife.
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   7. An incrustation deposit on the inside of a vessel in which
      water is heated, as a steam boiler.
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   8. (Metal.) 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.
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   Covering scale (Zool.), a hydrophyllium.

   Ganoid scale. (Zool.) See under Ganoid.

   Scale armor (Mil.), armor made of small metallic scales
      overlapping, and fastened upon leather or cloth.

   Scale beetle (Zool.), the tiger beetle.

   Scale carp (Zool.), a carp having normal scales.

   Scale insect (Zool.), any one of numerous species of small
      hemipterous insects belonging to the family Coccidae, in
      which the females, when adult, become more or less
      scalelike in form. They are found upon the leaves and
      twigs of various trees and shrubs, and often do great
      damage to fruit trees. See Orange scale,under Orange.


   Scale moss (Bot.), any leafy-stemmed moss of the order
      Hepaticae; -- so called from the small imbricated
      scalelike leaves of most of the species. See Hepatica,
      2, and Jungermannia.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scale \Scale\, v. t.
   1. To strip or clear of scale or scales; as, to scale a fish;
      to scale the inside of a boiler.
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   2. To take off in thin layers or scales, as tartar from the
      teeth; to pare off, as a surface. "If all the mountains
      were scaled, and the earth made even." --T. Burnet.
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   3. To scatter; to spread. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]
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   4. (Gun.) To clean, as the inside of a cannon, by the
      explosion of a small quantity of powder. --Totten.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scale \Scale\, n. [L. scalae, pl., scala staircase, ladder; akin
   to scandere to climb. See Scan; cf. Escalade.]
   1. A ladder; a series of steps; a means of ascending. [Obs.]
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   2. Hence, anything graduated, especially when employed as a
      measure or rule, or marked by lines at regular intervals.
      Specifically:
      (a) A mathematical instrument, consisting of a slip of
          wood, ivory, or metal, with one or more sets of spaces
          graduated and numbered on its surface, for measuring
          or laying off distances, etc., as in drawing,
          plotting, and the like. See Gunter's scale.
      (b) A series of spaces marked by lines, and representing
          proportionately larger distances; as, a scale of
          miles, yards, feet, etc., for a map or plan.
      (c) A basis for a numeral system; as, the decimal scale;
          the binary scale, etc.
      (d) (Mus.) The graduated series of all the tones,
          ascending or descending, from the keynote to its
          octave; -- called also the gamut. It may be repeated
          through any number of octaves. See Chromatic scale,
          Diatonic scale, Major scale, and Minor scale,
          under Chromatic, Diatonic, Major, and Minor.
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   3. Gradation; succession of ascending and descending steps
      and degrees; progressive series; scheme of comparative
      rank or order; as, a scale of being.
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            There is a certain scale of duties . . . which for
            want of studying in right order, all the world is in
            confusion.                            --Milton.
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   4. 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.
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   Scale of chords, a graduated scale on which are given the
      lengths of the chords of arcs from 0[deg] to 90[deg] in a
      circle of given radius, -- used in measuring given angles
      and in plotting angles of given numbers of degrees.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scale \Scale\, v. t. [Cf. It. scalare, fr. L. scalae, scala. See
   Scale a ladder.]
   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.
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         Oft have I scaled the craggy oak.        --Spenser.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Scale \Scale\, v. i.
   To lead up by steps; to ascend. [Obs.]
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         Satan from hence, now on the lower stair,
         That scaled by steps of gold to heaven-gate,
         Looks down with wonder.                  --Milton.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

scale
    n 1: an ordered reference standard; "judging on a scale of 1 to
         10" [syn: scale, scale of measurement, graduated
         table, ordered series]
    2: relative magnitude; "they entertained on a grand scale"
    3: the ratio between the size of something and a representation
       of it; "the scale of the map"; "the scale of the model"
    4: a specialized leaf or bract that protects a bud or catkin
       [syn: scale, scale leaf]
    5: a thin flake of dead epidermis shed from the surface of the
       skin [syn: scale, scurf, exfoliation]
    6: (music) a series of notes differing in pitch according to a
       specific scheme (usually within an octave) [syn: scale,
       musical scale]
    7: a measuring instrument for weighing; shows amount of mass
       [syn: scale, weighing machine]
    8: an indicator having a graduated sequence of marks
    9: a metal sheathing of uniform thickness (such as the shield
       attached to an artillery piece to protect the gunners) [syn:
       plate, scale, shell]
    10: a flattened rigid plate forming part of the body covering of
        many animals
    v 1: measure by or as if by a scale; "This bike scales only 25
         pounds"
    2: pattern, make, regulate, set, measure, or estimate according
       to some rate or standard
    3: take by attacking with scaling ladders; "The troops scaled
       the walls of the fort"
    4: reach the highest point of; "We scaled the Mont Blanc" [syn:
       scale, surmount]
    5: climb up by means of a ladder
    6: remove the scales from; "scale fish" [syn: scale,
       descale]
    7: measure with or as if with scales; "scale the gold"
    8: size or measure according to a scale; "This model must be
       scaled down"

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

392 Moby Thesaurus words for "scale":
   Danish balance, Indian file, Lambert conformal projection,
   Mercator projection, Miller projection, Roman balance,
   Weightometer, accommodation ladder, adjust, aeronautical chart,
   alloy balance, amount, amplitude, analytical balance, area,
   arrange in layers, array, articulation, ascend, assay balance,
   astronomical chart, atlas, azimuthal equidistant projection,
   azimuthal projection, balance, balance of precision, bank,
   barometer, barrel scale, beam, bigness, board, body, breach,
   breadth, break, breakage, bulk, bullion balance, burst, bust, buzz,
   cake, caking, caliber, calibration, canon, carry, cartographer,
   cartography, catena, catenation, celestial chart, celestial globe,
   chain, chain reaction, chaining, chart, check, chip, chip off,
   chorographer, chorography, chromatic scale, clamber, clamber up,
   cleft, climatic chart, climb, climb over, climb up, coat, coating,
   compass, concatenation, conic projection, connection, consecution,
   continuum, contour line, contour map, counter scale, course,
   coverage, crack, criterion, crust, cut, cycle, cylinder scale,
   cylindrical projection, dandruff, decorticate, decrease, degree,
   delaminate, depth, descent, desquamate, diameter, diapason,
   dimension, dimensions, diminish, dodecuple scale, doorstep, drone,
   drum scale, enamel, encrustation, endless belt, endless round,
   enharmonic scale, enlarge, escalade, escalate, eschar, exfoliate,
   expanse, expansion, extension, extension ladder, extent, facing,
   fan scale, file, filiation, film, fissure, flake, flake off,
   flexure plate scale, floccule, flocculus, flock, folding ladder,
   footrest, footstep, foray, fracture, fur, gamut, gangway ladder,
   gap, gauge, general reference map, girth, globe,
   gnomonic projection, go up, gradation, grade, graduated scale,
   graduation, graphic scale, great scale, greatness, grid line,
   hachure, height, heliographic chart, hierarchy, hum,
   hydrographic chart, imbrication, increase, incrustation, index,
   inroad, interval, inundate, invade, isoline, lacquer, ladder,
   lamella, lamina, laminate, largeness, latitude, lay down, lay up,
   layer, layer tint, leap, legend, length, level, lever scales, line,
   lineage, long-arm balance, longitude, lower, magnitude,
   major scale, make a raid, make an inroad, map, map maker,
   map projection, mapper, mark, mass, measure, measurement,
   melodic minor, meridian, minor scale, model, monotone, mount,
   nexus, norm, notch, nuance, octave scale, overlay, overwhelm,
   paint, pair of scales, parallel, parameter, paring, pas,
   pastry shell, pattern, peel, peg, pellicle, pendulum,
   pentatonic scale, period, periodicity, photogrammetrist,
   photogrammetry, photomap, phototopography, physical map, piecrust,
   pitch, plane, plaque, plate, plate fulcrum scale, plateau,
   platform scale, plenum, point, political map, polyconic projection,
   powder train, precision balance, precision scale, progression,
   projection, proportion, proportions, prorate, quantity,
   quarter ladder, queue, radius, raid, raise, ramp, range, rank,
   ranking, rate, ratio, reach, reading, readout, recurrence, reduce,
   register, regulate, relief map, remove, rent,
   representative fraction, rest, reticulation, revetment, rift, rip,
   riser, road map, rotation, round, routine, row, rule, run, rundle,
   rung, rupture, scab, scale off, scale the heights, scale the walls,
   scales, scope, scrabble up, scramble up, scum, scurf, scute,
   scutum, sequence, series, shade, shadow, shaving, shell, shin,
   shin up, shinny, short-arm balance, single file,
   sinusoidal projection, size, skin, slash, slice, slit, snap, space,
   special map, spectrum, spiral balance, splinter, split, spoke,
   spread, stair, stalactite, stalagmite, standard, stave, step,
   step stool, stepladder, stepping-stone, stern ladder, stint, storm,
   stratify, stretch, string, strip, struggle up, succession,
   surmount, swath, sweep, take by storm, tartar, tear, temperament,
   terrain map, terrestrial globe, test, thematic map, thread, tier,
   topographer, topographic chart, topography, touchstone, train,
   transportation map, tread, tuning, type, upclimb, upgo, value,
   varnish, veneer, volume, weather chart, weather map, weigh scales,
   weighbridge, weighing machine, weight voltameter, whole-tone scale,
   width, windrow, yardstick