Scales
The celestial balance
Scales connects several ideas through measuring and layered covering.
A scale is one of the small overlapping plates protecting fish and reptiles, or anything similar: The moth's wings are covered in tiny scales.
To scale a fish is to remove these.
Scales are also a device for weighing: She stepped on the bathroom scales.
In music, a scale is a sequence of notes ascending or descending in pitch.
To scale something is to climb it: They scaled the cliff face.
Scale also means relative size or extent: a project of unprecedented scale, economies of scale.
To scale up or down is to increase or decrease proportionally.
Move upward
- summitPeak or diplomatic gathering
- cliffVertical rock wall
- mountainTall natural landmass
- rappelControlled rope descent
vertical · rock · wall · heights · peak · overhang · rope · pitch
Relating to color
- majorOf chief importance
- minorScale with lowered third
- pentatonicScale of five tones
- diatonicSeven-tone scale-based
octave · practice · arpeggios · modes · intervals · ascending · descending · blues
Measure of heaviness
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
- gramsMetric mass units
ounces · tare · digital · kitchen · bathroom · postal · laboratory · weighing
Steadiness or amount owed
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
- LibraSeventh zodiacal sign
- blindfoldedEyes obscured by cloth
- courthouseLegal proceedings venue
weighing · judgment · law · equity · tribunal · deliberation · verdict · impartiality
Limbless scaled reptile
- lizardFour-legged scaled reptile
- crocodileLarge semiaquatic tropical reptile
- sheddingLosing outer covering
- moltingPeriodic shedding of covering
keeled · smooth · gecko · iguana · python · tortoise · scutes · keratin
Comparative numerical relation
- legendUnverified traditional tale
- topographicConcerning surface feature arrangement
- cartographyCreating geographic representations
- distanceSpace between two points
proportion · bar · representative · surveying · zoom · magnification · reduction · contour
Extent or range
- extentRange or magnitude
- rangeExtent of variation
- proportionComparative relation of parts
- sizePhysical extent or dimensions
economy · industrial · global · local · massive · grand · production · enterprise
Living tissue under epidermis
- silveryPale metallic sheen
- iridescentShowing shifting spectral colors
- overlappingCovering part of another
- protectiveServing to guard
slimy · descaling · filleting · shimmering · carp · salmon · bass · coating
ascend
Move upward
rappel · vertical · rock · wall · heights · peak · overhang · rope · pitch · difficulty
chromatic
Relating to color
- majorOf chief importance
- minorScale with lowered third
- pentatonicScale of five tones
diatonic · octave · practice · arpeggios · modes · intervals · ascending · descending · blues · fingering
weight
Measure of heaviness
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
grams · ounces · tare · digital · kitchen · bathroom · postal · laboratory · weighing · counterweight
balance
Steadiness or amount owed
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
- LibraSeventh zodiacal sign
- blindfoldedEyes obscured by cloth
courthouse · weighing · judgment · law · equity · tribunal · deliberation · verdict · impartiality · symbol
snake
Limbless scaled reptile
- lizardFour-legged scaled reptile
- crocodileLarge semiaquatic tropical reptile
- sheddingLosing outer covering
molting · keeled · smooth · gecko · iguana · python · tortoise · scutes · keratin · armor
ratio
Comparative numerical relation
- legendUnverified traditional tale
- topographicConcerning surface feature arrangement
- cartographyCreating geographic representations
distance · proportion · bar · representative · surveying · zoom · magnification · reduction · contour · projection
scope
Extent or range
- extentRange or magnitude
- rangeExtent of variation
- proportionComparative relation of parts
size · economy · industrial · global · local · massive · grand · production · enterprise · expansion
dermis
Living tissue under epidermis
- silveryPale metallic sheen
- iridescentShowing shifting spectral colors
- overlappingCovering part of another
protective · slimy · descaling · filleting · shimmering · carp · salmon · bass · coating · armor
Scalesguesswork
Conclusions drawn without proof
estimation · eyeballing · approximation · intuition · unmeasured
- tip the scalesBecome the deciding factor
- fish scalesOverlapping skin plates
- bathroom scaleDevice measuring body weight
- grading scalesStandards for evaluating work
- scaled backReduced in size
- scale backReduce in extent
scale, scaled, scaling, scaler, scalable, scalability, rescale, rescaled, rescaling