- scale
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 size/extentADJECTIVE▪ full▪
It was several days before the full scale of the accident became clear.
▪ big, considerable, epic, grand, greater, huge, large, mass, massive, monumental, vast, wide▪ modest, small▪ sheer▪It is difficult to comprehend the sheer scale of the suffering caused by the war.
▪ unprecedented▪a misuse of presidential power on an unprecedented scale
▪ ambitious, lavish▪Do they always entertain on such a lavish scale?
▪ global, international, local, national, regional, world▪ commercial▪The dolls are now produced on a commercial scale.
▪ human▪The final building is realized on a human scale.
▪The city would operate on a more human scale if cars were banned from the old town.
VERB + SCALE▪ expand, increase▪They plan to expand the scale and scope of their operations.
▪ reduce▪ match▪ assess, determine▪We need to determine the scale of the problem.
▪ reveal, show▪ appreciate, comprehend, realize▪ underestimatePREPOSITION▪ scale of▪the scale of the disaster/destruction/problem
▪the scale of the project/task
▪ in scale▪The paintings are small in scale.
▪ on a scale▪pollution on a massive scale
PHRASES▪ an economy of scale▪Economies of scale enable the larger companies to lower their prices.
▪ given the scale of▪Given the scale of the changes, it is essential that all managers familiarize themselves with the details.
2 range of valuesADJECTIVE▪ fixed▪ sliding▪Benefits are paid on a sliding scale according to family income.
▪ five-point, six-point, etc.▪ rating▪Patients were asked to state their level of anxiety on a 10-point rating scale.
▪ time▪Can you give me any sort of time scale for the completion of the building work?
▪ evolutionary, social▪ pay, salary, wage (esp. BrE)▪The company has a five-point pay scale.
▪ Beaufort, Richter, etc.▪The earthquake measured 6.4 on the Richter scale.
VERB + SCALE▪ use▪ construct, develop▪ go up, move up, rise up▪He has risen up the social scale from rather humble beginnings.
▪ go down, move downSCALE + VERB▪ go from … to … , range from … to …▪a scale ranging from ‘utterly miserable’ to ‘deliriously happy’
▪ be based on▪a sliding scale based on income
PREPOSITION▪ on a/the scale▪Where do birds come on the evolutionary scale?
▪ scale of … to …▪On a scale of 1 to 10, he scores 7.
PHRASES▪ the bottom of the scale, the end of the scale, the top of the scale▪After ten years, she had worked her way to the top of the pay scale.
3 relation between actual size and size of a map, etc.VERB + SCALE▪ draw sth to▪ haveSCALE + NOUN▪ drawing, model▪He's made a scale model of the Eiffel Tower.
PREPOSITION▪ to scale▪The plan of the building is not drawn to scale.
▪ scale of … to …▪The map has a scale of one inch to the mile.
▪a scale of 1 : 25 000
4 in musicADJECTIVE▪ major, minorVERB + SCALE▪ play, sing▪ practise/practice▪We could hear her practising/practicing her scales.
PREPOSITION▪ scale of▪the scale of C major
5 on a fish, etc.ADJECTIVE▪ overlapping▪ fine, thin▪ armoured/armored▪ fishVERB + SCALE▪ be covered in, be covered with6 (AmE) machine for weighing ⇨ See ↑scales{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}verb
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
