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SCALE (1) A

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Originally appearing in Volume V24, Page 283 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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SCALE (1) A  small thin flake, See also:plate or See also:shell . The word. in O . Eng. is sceale, so See also:bean-sceale, the husk or pod of a bean; cognate forms are found in Ger . Schale, O.H.G . See also:Scale, from which the O . Fr. escale, See also:modern gcale, is borrowed . The ultimate See also:root is seen in the closely allied " shell," and also in See also:skull, See also:scalp, shale and skill, and means to See also:peel off, See also:separate, See also:divide . The word is used specifically (1) in See also:botany, of the rudimentary flake-like See also:leaf forming the covering of the leaf-buds of See also:deciduous trees and of the bracts of the See also:cone in conifers; (2) in See also:zoology, of the See also:flat, hard structures of the epidermis or exoskeleton in fishes, See also:reptiles . Thus in See also:ichthyology the various types of scales are classed as See also:cycloid (Gr. abaor, circle), where the growth is in layers, equally from the anterior and posterior edges; ctenoid (Gr . KTIv, See also:comb), where the posterior edge is toothed; ganoid (Gr. yavor, shining), with a hard enamelled See also:surface and usually rhomboidal in shape, and placoid (Gr. irXii , tablet), as in the ossified papillae of the cutis of the See also:shark . In reptiles the See also:term is applied to the structures which See also:form the covering of the true reptiles, See also:snakes and lizards . In See also:entomology the downy covering au-apended See also:cradle baaf of the wings of See also:lepidoptera consists of See also:minute scales, really modifications of hairs, covered with See also:fine lines, giving the See also:bright See also:colours .

Another form in O . Eng. scale is found glossing the See also:

Lat. lanx, flat bowl or dish, and is thus used of the dishes or cups of a See also:balance (bilanx), the See also:instrument itself being also called " scales." 2 . Properly a See also:ladder, See also:flight of steps, now only used in the derived " scaling ladder." The word is derived from the Lat. scala (originally scandla, from scandere to climb) . There are many transferred senses of the word, e.g. the distinguishing marks for purposes of measurement on a See also:rule or other measuring instrument; hence a graduated measure or a See also:system of proportional measurement or numeration, and particularly, in See also:music, a See also:series of tones at definite See also:standard intervals (see See also:HARMONY, MUSICAL NOTATION) .

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