1
general::
scale sth up
[ M ]
to increase the size, amount or importance of something, usually an organization or process
• My company is scaling up its operations in the Middle East., scale sth down
[ M ] ( mainly US scale sth back )
to make something smaller than it was or smaller than it was planned to be
• A shortage of money has forced them to scale down the project.
Cambridge-Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
noun size/extent ADJ. full It was several days before the full scale of the accident became clear. | big, considerable, grand, greater, huge, large, massive, monumental, vast | 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, national, regional, world | commercial The dolls are now produced on a commercial scale. | human The city would operate on a more human scale if cars were banned from the centre. VERB + SCALE increase | reduce PREP. in ~ The paintings are small in scale. | on a ~ pollution on a massive scale PHRASES an economy of scale Economies of scale enable the larger companies to lower their prices. | the scale of the problem range of values ADJ. fixed | sliding Benefits are paid on a sliding scale according to family income. | rating | time Can you give me any sort of time scale for the completion of the building work? | evolutionary | social | pay, salary, wage The company has a five-point pay scale. | Beaufort, Richter The earthquake measured 6.4 on the Richter scale. VERB + SCALE go/move down/up, rise up He has risen up the social scale from rather humble beginnings. SCALE + VERB go/range from … to … a scale ranging from ‘utterly miserable’ to ‘deliriously happy’ PREP. on a/the ~ Where do birds come on the evolutionary scale? | ~ of … to … On a scale of 1 to 10, he scores 7. PHRASES the bottom/end/top of the scale After 10 years, she had worked her way to the top of the pay scale. relation between actual size and size of a model, etc. VERB + SCALE draw sth to | have SCALE + NOUN drawing, model He's made a scale model of the Eiffel Tower. PREP. to ~ The plan of the building is not drawn to scale. | ~ of … to … The map has a scale of one centimetre to the kilometre. a scale of 1: 25,000 in music ADJ. major, minor | chromatic, diatonic, diminished, pentatonic, whole-tone VERB + SCALE play, sing | practise We could hear her practising her scales. PREP. ~ of the scale of C major on a fish, etc. ADJ. overlapping | fine, thin | armoured | fish VERB + SCALE be covered in/with
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
4
general::
noun
armor:
Fish have scales on the body.
noun
balance stick:
She weighed the apples with a scale.
noun
range:
On a scale of 1 to 10, he's a 9.
noun
corrosion:
The boiler was filled with scale.
Simple Definitions