Scale, skāl, n. the dish of a balance: a balance, as to turn the scale—chiefly in pl.: (pl.) Libra, one of the signs of the zodiac.—v.t. to weigh, as in scales: to estimate.—ns. Scale′-beam, the beam or lever of a balance; Scale′-microm′eter, in a telescope, a graduated scale for measuring distances; Scāl′ing, the process of adjusting sights to a ship's guns.—Beam and scales, a balance; Gunter's scale, a scale for solving mechanically problems in navigation and surveying. [A.S. scále, a balance; Dut. schaal, Ger. schale; allied to preceding word.]
Scalene, skā-lēn′, adj. (geom.) having three unequal sides; (anat.) obliquely situated and unequal-sided.—n. a scalene triangle: one of several triangular muscles.—ns. Scālenohē′dron, a pyramidal form under the rhombohedral system, enclosed by twelve faces, each a scalene triangle; Scālē′num, a scalene triangle; Scālē′nus, a scalene muscle. [Fr.,—L. scalenus—Gr. skalēnos, uneven.]
Scaliola=Scagliola (q.v.).
Scall, skawl, n. (B.) a scab: scabbiness: in mining, loose ground.—adj. mean.—adjs. Scalled, Scald, scabby: mean. [Ice. skalli, bald head.]
Scallion, skal′yun, n. the shallot: the leek: the onion. [L. Ascalonia (cæpia), Ascalon (onion).]
Scallop, skol′up, n. a bivalve having a sub-circular shell with sinuous radiating ridges: one of a series of curves in the edge of anything: a shallow dish in which oysters, &c., are cooked, baked, and browned.—v.t. to cut the edge or border into scallops or curves: to cook in a scallop with crumbs of bread, &c.—p.adj. Scall′oped, having the edge or border cut into scallops or curves.—ns. Scall′op moth, a name applied to several geometrid moths; Scall′op-shell, a scallop, or the shell of one, the badge of a pilgrim. [O. Fr. escalope—Old Dut. schelpe, a shell; cf. Ger. schelfe, a husk.]
Scalma, skal′ma, n. a disease of horses. [Old High Ger. scalmo, pestilence; cf. Schelm.]
Scalops, skā′lops, n. a genus of American shrew-moles. [Gr. skalops, a mole—skallein, to dig.]
Scalp, skalp, n. the outer covering of the skull or brain-case, including the skin, the expanded tendon of the occipito-frontalis muscle, with intermediate cellular tissue and blood-vessels: the skin on which the hair grows: the skin of the top of the head, together with the hair, torn off as a token of victory by the North American Indians: the skin of the head of a noxious wild animal: (her.) the skin of the head of a stag with the horns attached: a bed of oysters or mussels (Scot. Scaup).—v.t. to cut the scalp from: to flay: to lay bare: to deprive of grass: to sell at less than recognised rates: to destroy the political influence of.—ns. Scal′per, one who scalps; a machine for removing the ends of grain, as wheat or rye, or for separating the different grades of broken wheat, semolina, &c.: one who buys and sells railroad tickets, &c., at less than the official rates, a ticket-broker: an instrument used by surgeons for scraping carious bones (also Scal′ping-ī′ron); Scal′ping-knife, a knife, formerly a sharp stone, used by the Indians of North America for scalping their enemies; Scal′ping-tuft, a scalp-lock.—adj. Scalp′less, having no scalp, bald.—n. Scalp′-lock, a long tuft of hair left by the North American Indians as a challenge. [Old Dut. schelpe, a shell; cf. Ger. schelfe, a husk; a doublet of scallop.]
Scalpel, skalp′el, n. a small surgical knife for dissecting and operating.—n. Scalpel′lum, one of the four filamentous organs in the proboscis of hemipterous insects:—pl. Scalpel′la.—adj. Scal′priform, chisel-shaped, specifically said of the incisor teeth of rodents. [L. scalpellum, dim. of scalprum, a knife—scalpĕre, to cut.]