balanza

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. [1913 Webster]

Platform scale. See under Platform. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

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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Scale Scale, n. [Cf. AS. scealu, scalu, a shell, parings; akin to D. schaal, G. schale, OHG. scala, Dan. & Sw. skal a shell,
Dan. ski[ae]l 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. (Zo"ol.) 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. (Zo"ol.) A scale insect. (See below.) [1913 Webster]

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 (Zo"ol.), a hydrophyllium.

Ganoid scale. (Zo"ol.) See under Ganoid.

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

Scale beetle (Zo"ol.), the tiger beetle.

Scale carp (Zo"ol.), a carp having normal scales.

Scale insect (Zo"ol.), any one of numerous species of small hemipterous insects belonging to the family
{Coccid[ae]}, 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 {Hepatic[ae]}; -- so called from the small imbricated
scalelike leaves of most of the species. See {Hepatica},
2, and {Jungermannia}.
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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. & Prov. Eng. [1913 Webster]

4. (Gun.) To clean, as the inside of a cannon, by the explosion of a small quantity of powder. --Totten.
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Scale Scale, v. i. 1. To separate and come off in thin layers or lamin[ae]; 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. & Prov. Eng. [1913 Webster]

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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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. [1913 Webster]

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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Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English