to scale

to scale — idiom

1. made or drawn with the same size relationship between parts as the original obje

1.慣用語B2
釋義

made or drawn with the same size relationship between parts as the original object, so that every part is reduced or enlarged by the same fixed amount.

例句

Zuri built a model of the solar system to scale for her school project.

build + model + to scale for showing exact proportions

This map is not drawn to scale, so the distances between towns may be wrong.

negative: not drawn to scale; warning about accuracy

同義詞
  • proportionally

    adverb used more broadly; does not specifically describe drawings or models

  • in proportion

    slightly more informal, interchangeable in most contexts

反義詞

文法句型

be drawn / built / made to scale

a model / drawing / map to scale

用法筆記

Commonly used after past participles (drawn, built, made) or after the verb be (is to scale, was to scale). When used directly before a noun, a hyphen is needed: a to-scale model. Frequently appears in the negative: not drawn to scale — a warning often seen on maps and technical drawings.

常見錯誤

❌This is a to scale drawing.
✅This is a drawing to scale.
💡When used after a noun, no hyphen is needed; the phrase follows the noun it describes.
❌The model is not build to scale.
✅The model is not built to scale.
💡Use the past participle form of the verb (built, drawn, made) after to scale.