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

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

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

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

ADJ

overlapping
fine, thin
armoured
fish

VERB + SCALE

be covered in/with