- [singular, uncountable]
the size or extent of something, especially when compared with something else （尤指与其他事物相比较时的）规模，范围，程度 - on a … scale
They entertain on a large scale (= they hold expensive parties with a lot of guests). 他们大宴宾客。 Here was corruption on a grand scale. 这里的腐败现象曾十分严重。 On a global scale, 77 per cent of energy is created from fossil fuels. 在全球范围内，77%的能源来自化石燃料。 Corporations are borrowing on a massive scale. 企业正在大举借债。 Western-style consumerism is unsustainable on a global scale. 西方式的消费主义在全球范围内是不可持续的。 Manufacturing is done on a small scale. 制造是小规模进行的。 His work as a portrait painter is small in scale. 他作为肖像画家的作品规模很小。 to achieve economies of scale in production (= to produce many items so the cost of producing each one is reduced) 生产实现规模经济 - scale of something
It was impossible to comprehend the full scale of the disaster. 这场灾难的深重程度当时还无法充分认识。 It was not until morning that the sheer scale of the damage could be seen (= how great it was). 直到早晨才看清了损害的严重程度。 The scale of the problem is difficult to measure. 问题的规模很难衡量。
Extra ExamplesTopics Maths and measurementb2Do they always entertain on such a lavish scale? 他们经常这样大摆宴席吗？ Economies of scale enable the larger companies to lower their prices. 规模经济使得大公司可以降低产品价格。 It is difficult to comprehend the sheer scale of the suffering caused by the war. 人们很难理解战争造成的苦难有多严重。 The dolls are now produced on a commercial scale. 这种玩具娃娃现已投入规模化生产。 They plan to expand the scale and scope of their operations. 他们打算扩大经营规模和范围。 We need to determine the scale of the problem. 我们需要确定问题的严重程度。 a misuse of presidential power on an unprecedented scale 总统权力程度空前的滥用 pollution on a massive scale 大范围的污染 What if a global scale catastrophe happens? 如果全球范围的灾难发生了呢？
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- full
- big
- considerable
- …
- expand
- increase
- reduce
- …
- scale of
- in scale
- on a scale
- …
- an economy of scale
- given the scale of
- on a … scale
- [countable]
a range of levels or numbers used for measuring something 等级；级别 a five-point pay scale 五分制工资等级 to evaluate performance on a scale from 1 to 10 按 1 到 10 级来评估业绩 The salary scale goes from £12 000 to £20 000. 工资等级从12 000到20 000不等。 a scale of charges 收费等级 Use the following scale to rate each item. 使用以下标准对每个项目进行评分。
Extra ExamplesTopics Maths and measurementb2After ten years, she had worked her way to the top of the pay scale. 10 年后，她已拿到了最高级别的薪水。 Please see the attached sheet for our scale of fees. 我们的分级收费标准请参见附页。 On a scale of 1 to 10, he scores 7. 按从 1 到 10 的计分标准评定，他得到 7 分。 Patients were asked to state their level of anxiety on a 10-point rating scale. 患者被要求用十分制打分标准给出各自焦虑程度的分值。 On the response sheet, the scale of answers ranged from ‘excellent’ to ‘extremely poor’. 在答卷上，答案的等级从“优秀”到“极差”不等。 There is an ascending scale of penalties for traffic offences. 对交通违章的处罚等级越来越高。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- fixed
- sliding
- five-point
- …
- use
- construct
- develop
- …
- go from… to…
- range from… to…
- be based on
- …
- on a/the scale
- scale of… to…
- the bottom of the scale
- the end of the scale
- the top of the scale
- …
- [countable, usually singular]
the set of all the different levels of something, from the lowest to the highest 等级体系 At the other end of the scale, life is a constant struggle to get enough to eat. 对于处在社会最底层的人来说，生活就是为吃饱肚子而不断挣扎的过程。 You're higher on the social scale than I am. 你在社会尺度上比我高。
Extra ExamplesFarm workers were always considered to be low down on the social scale. 农场工人总被认为处于社会等级的底层。 At what point on the evolutionary scale do birds come? 鸟类在进化的哪个阶段出现？ At the bottom end of the scale, there are people living on under a dollar a day. 在天平的底端，有人每天靠不到一美元生活。 He has risen up the social scale from rather humble beginnings. 他从地位卑微的无名小卒开始打拚，获得了现今的社会地位。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- fixed
- sliding
- five-point
- …
- use
- construct
- develop
- …
- go from… to…
- range from… to…
- be based on
- …
- on a/the scale
- scale of… to…
- the bottom of the scale
- the end of the scale
- the top of the scale
- …
- [countable]
a series of marks at regular points on an instrument that is used for measuring 标度；刻度 How much does it read on the scale? 刻度显示的是多少？ He read the altitude in degrees off the scale. 他以度数为单位读出了高度。
- scales[plural](North American English also scale)
an instrument for weighing people or things 秤；磅秤；天平 
bathroom/kitchen/weighing scales 浴室秤；厨房用秤；秤 - (figurative)
the scales of justice (= represented as the two pans on a balance) 法律的天平
- [countable]
the relation between the actual size of something and its size on a map, diagram or model that represents it 比例；比例尺 
a scale of 1:25 000 1:25 000 的比例 a scale model/drawing 按比例缩放的模型／图画 Both plans are drawn to the same scale. 两张平面图是按同一比例绘制的。 - to scale
Is this diagram to scale? (= are all its parts the same size and shape in relation to each other as they are in the thing represented) 这个示意图是按比例画的吗？
Extra ExamplesTopics Maths and measurementb2He's made a scale model of the Eiffel Tower. 他按比例做了一个埃菲尔铁塔模型。 The map has a scale of one centimetre to the kilometre. 这幅地图的比例是1 厘米代表1 千米。 The plan of the building is not drawn to scale. 大楼的平面图画得不合比例。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + scale- draw something to
- have
- drawing
- model
- to scale
- scale of… to…
- [countable]
a series of musical notes moving upwards or downwards, with fixed intervals between each note, especially a series of eight starting on a particular note 音阶 
the scale of C major C 大调音阶 to practise scales on the piano 在钢琴上练习音阶
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- major
- minor
- play
- sing
- practise/practice
- …
- scale of
- [countable]
any of the thin plates of hard material that cover the skin of many fish and reptiles 鳞；鳞片 
The beast was a dragon, with great purple and green scales. 野兽是一条龙，长着巨大的紫色和绿色鳞片。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- overlapping
- fine
- thin
- …
- be covered in
- be covered with
- (British English also fur)[uncountable]
a hard white substance that is sometimes left inside water pipes and containers for heating water 水垢；水锈 - [uncountable]
a hard substance that forms on teeth, especially when they are not cleaned regularly 牙垢；牙石
size规模
range of levels等级
marks for measuring衡量标度
weighing instrument衡器
of map/diagram/model地图；图表；模型
in music音乐
of fish/reptile鱼；爬行动物
in water pipes, etc.水管等
on teeth牙齿
Word Originnoun senses 1 to 4 and noun senses 6 to 7 late Middle English: from Latin scala ‘ladder’ (the verb via Old French escaler or medieval Latin scalare ‘climb’), from the base of Latin scandere ‘to climb’. noun sense 5 Middle English (in the sense ‘drinking cup’, surviving in South African English): from Old Norse skál ‘bowl’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch schaal, German Schale ‘bowl’, also to English dialect shale ‘dish’. noun senses 8 to 10 Middle English: shortening of Old French escale, from the Germanic base of scale (noun - sense 5).
Idioms
tip the balance/scales
(also swing the balance)
tip the scales at something