An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

An alternative to the standard → general relativity of gravity that contains not only the → tensor field (or → metric), but also a → scalar field. In this formalism, the → gravitational constant is considered to vary over time. As a consequence, the measured strength of the gravitational interaction is a function of time. Same as → Jordan-Brans-Dicke theory.

→ scalar; → tensor; → theory.

1a) A succession or progression of steps or degrees.
1b) A standard of measurement or estimation; point of reference by which to gauge or rate.
2) To reduce or increase according to a common proportion (often followed by down or up).

M.E., from L. scalae "ladder, stairs."

Marpel, literally "measuring stick, measuring step," on the model of Ger. Maßstab from Mass "measure" + Stab "stick, bar, pole, baton." The first element from Mod./Mid.Pers. mar "measure, count," from Av. mar- "to count, remember;" Skt. smr, smarati "to remember, he remembers;" L. memor, memoria; Gk. mermera "care," martyr "witness." The second element pel "stick, a bit of wood;" pel can also be interpreted as the contraction of pellé "staircase, ladder."

In computer science, to reduce the processing power of the same node/system by reducing its resources (CPU, RAM, etc.). This type of → vertical scaling is opposite to → scale up. See also → scale in, → scale out.

→ scale; → down.

Math.: A number which scales, or multiplies, some quantity. In the equation y = Cx, C is the scale factor for x. C is also the coefficient of x, and may be called the constant of proportionality of y to x.
Geometry: The ratio of any two corresponding lengths in two similar geometric figures. The ratio of areas of two similar figures is the square of the scale factor.

→ scale; → factor.

The height within which some parameter, such as pressure or density, decreases by a factor of e. For example, an atmospheric scale height of 100 km means that the value at 100 km is 1/e the value at the surface.

→ scale; → height.

In computer science, to reduce the number of nodes (servers), as opposed to → scale out. Scale-in is a type of → horizontal scaling. See also → scale up, → scale down.

→ scale; → in.

In computer science, to upgrade a system by increasing the number of nodes. For example, instead of going from a CPU of X and memory of Y to a CPU with 4X and 4Y memory, use 4 machines with CPU of X and memory of Y. This is a type of → horizontal scaling. See also → scale in, → scale up, → scale down.

→ scale; → out.

In computer science, to increase the processing power of the same node/system by increasing its resources (CPU, RAM, etc.). This is a type of → vertical scaling opposite to → scale down. For example, instead of a machine with a CPU running at speed of X and having Y gigabytes of memory, use a machine with a CPU running at speed of 4X and a memory of 4Y gigabytes. See also → scale in, → scale out.

→ scale; → up.

A triangle no two sides of which are equal.

From L.L. scalenus, from Gk. skalenos "uneven, unequal, rough," from skallein "chop, hoe," related to skolios "crooked," from PIE base *(s)qel- "crooked, curved, bent;" → triangle.

Sebar, → triangle; nâjur-pahlu "dissimilar sides," from nâjur "dissimilar, ill-matched" + pahlu "side, flank" (Mid.Pers. pahlug "side, rib," Av. pərəsu- "rib," Ossetic fars "side, flank," cf. Skt. párśu- "rib," Lith. piršys (pl.) "horse breast").

An electronic circuit devised to give a single pulse after a prescribed number of input pulses have been received.

Agent noun from → scale.

1) Altering original variable values (according to a specific function or an algorithm) into a range that meet particular criteria.
2) The ability of a system, or process, to handle a growing load in regards to capacity. It has two types: → vertical scaling and → horizontal scaling.

→ scale; → -ing.

The part of the head where the hair grows from.

M.E., perhaps from O.Norse skālpr "sheath," related to O.Norse skalli "a bald head," from PIE root *(s)ker- "to cut," → bark.

Keler, from Zâhedân Baloci keler "scalp," cognate with kâlun, → bark.

1) (v.) To sweep a surface with a beam of light or electrons in order to reproduce or transmit a picture.
In radar, to sweep an airspace or region with a succession of directed beams from a radar aerial system.
2) (n.) An act or instance of scanning. The image or display so obtained.

M.E. scannen, from L.L. scandere "to read or mark so as to show metrical structure," originally, in classical L., "to climb" (the connecting notion is of the rising and falling rhythm of poetry), from PIE *skand- "to spring, leap" (cf. Skt. skandati "he jumps;" Gk. skandalon "a snare, trap, stumbling block;" O.Ir. scendim "I jump").

Rajrub, literally "sweeping along rows," from raj "row, line" + rub "to sweep." The first component raj, variants raž, rak, râk, rezg (Lori), ris, risé, radé, rasté, râsté, related to râst "right, true; just, upright, straight," → row, → right. The second component rub stem of rubidan, ruftan "to sweep," related to robudan "to rub, carry off;" Mid.Pers. rôb- "to rub, sweep, attract;" Av. urūpaiieinti "to cause racking pain(?);" cf. Skt. rop- "to suffer from abdominal pain," rurupas "to cause violent pain," ropaná- "causing racking pain," rópi- "racking pain;" L. rumpere "to break;" O.E. reofan "to break, tear."

Any device for exposing an image on film, a sensitized plate, etc., by tracing light along a series of many closely spaced parallel lines.

Agent noun of → scan.

The process of analyzing or synthetizing successively the light values of the elements making up a picture area, according to a pre-determined method.

Verbal noun of → scan.

A → sundial consisting of an inverted half sphere and a central vertical → gnomon used by ancient Greeks. See also → Eratosthenes experiment.

Gk. skaphe "boat, skiff; a bowl."

A flat triangular bone a pair of which form the back part of the shoulder. Commonly known as → shoulder blade.

L. scapula "shoulder."

Šâné, Mid.Pers. šânag "shoulder-blade."
Ketf, loan from Ar. kataf "shoulder."

Geology: A line of cliffs produced by faulting, erosion, or landslides. → cliff.

From It. scarpa.

Tondé "a steep slope of a mountain," from tond "swift, rapid, brisk; fierce, severe" (Mid.Pers. tund "sharp, violent;" Sogdian tund "violent;" cf. Skt. tod- "to thrust, give a push," tudáti "he thrusts;" L. tundere "to thrust, to hit" (Fr. percer, E. pierce, ultimately from L. pertusus, from p.p. of pertundere "to thrust or bore through;" PIE base *(s)teud- "to thrust, to beat"); cf. dialectal Anzali tin, Laki den, Tâleši teš "steep rock."

1) To cause → electromagnetic waves or a → beam of → particles to be irregularly → deflected, → dispersed, or → reflected, or be turned aside in the process of → scattering.
2) The act of → scattering; something that is → scattered.

M.E. scateren, schateren "to disperse, break up, destroy;" cf. M.Du. schaderen "to scatter."

Parâkandan "to scatter, to disperse;" Mid.Pers. parakandan "to scatter" (cf. apakandan "to throw"), from Proto-Iranian *pari-kan-, from *pari, *par- "around" (cf. Pers. pirâ-, variant par- "around, about," from Mid.Pers. pêrâ; O.Pers. pariy "around, about," Av. pairi "around, over," per- "to pass over, beyond;" cf. Skt. pari; PIE base *per- "through, across, beyond;" cf. Gk. peri "around, about, beyond;" L. per "through") + *kan- "to throw, place, put" (cf. Pers. afgandan "to throw; to lay, place;" kandan "to dig; to extract;" Mid.Pers. kan-, kandan "to dig;" O.Pers. kan- "to dig," akaniya- "it was dug;" Av. kan- "to dig," uskən- "to dig out;" cf. Skt. khan- "to dig," khanati "he digs," kha- "cavity, hollow, cave, aperture").

1) Occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space.
2) The quality of a particle that has undergone → scattering.

Past participle of → scatter.