scale / skeIl /
I noun
1 (extent) (of crisis, disaster, success, violence) Ètendue f (of de); (of reform, development, defeat, recession, task) ampleur f (of de); (of activity, operation) envergure f (of de); (of support, change) degrÈ m (of de); on a large/small scale ‡ grande/petite Èchelle; on an unexpected/a modest scale d'une ampleur inattendue/modeste;
2 (grading system) Èchelle f; pay scale, salary scale Èchelle des salaires; social scale Èchelle sociale; scale of values Èchelle de valeurs; at the other end of the scale ‡ l'autre bout de l'Èchelle; on a scale of 1 to 10 sur une Èchelle allant de 1 ‡ 10;
3 (for maps, models) Èchelle f; on a scale of 2 km to 1 cm ‡ une Èchelle de 1 cm pour 2 km; the model is out of ou not to scale la maquette n'est pas ‡ l'Èchelle;
4 (on thermometer, gauge etc) graduation f;
5 (for weighing) balance f;
6 music gamme f; to play/sing a scale faire/chanter une gamme; the scale of G la gamme de sol;
7 zoology (on fish, insect) Ècaille f;
8 (deposit) (in kettle, pipes) (dÈpÙt m) calcaire m; (on teeth) tartre m.
II scales npl balance f.
III transitive verb
1 (climb) escalader ;
2 (take scales off) Ècailler .
Idioms
the scales fell from my eyes tout d'un coup j'ai compris.
ï scale back = scale down 2.
• scale down:
∂ scale down, scale down
1 (reduce according to scale) rÈduire l'Èchelle de ;
2 figurative (reduce) ralentir ; rÈduire .
ï scale up:
∂ scale up, scale up
1 literal augmenter l'Èchellle de ;
2 figurative augmenter