Douglas scale
- noun
- /ˈdʌɡləs skeɪl/
- Specialized
:
escala Douglas
- The weather report indicated a Douglas scale reading of 4, meaning the waves were moderate.
Examples
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Before sailing, the captain checked the Douglas scale to assess sea conditions.
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Researchers plotted the daily wave heights according to the Douglas scale for their study.
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The Douglas scale is essential for sailors.
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Can you explain the Douglas scale to me?
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Before sailing, the captain checked the Douglas scale to assess sea conditions.
-
Researchers plotted the daily wave heights according to the Douglas scale for their study.
-
The weather report indicated a Douglas scale reading of 4, meaning the waves were moderate.
Synonyms
A scale of numbers that shows wave height at sea from 0 calm to 9 very high
A scale that shows how high sea waves and long smooth waves are
Surface Forms
Morphology
Douglas + scale
The component 'scale' clearly signals a measurement system, so a learner who knows the constituents would likely infer this is a named scale (i.e., something used for measuring). However, 'Douglas' is a proper name that gives no clue that the scale concerns sea-wave height, so the specific domain and meaning are not predictable without prior or cultural knowledge. This makes the expression partially transparent but not fully derivable from its parts.
Etymology
Douglas scale comes from a man named Douglas who made a simple scale so sailors could use numbers to say how rough the sea was. That's why the Douglas scale today gives a quick number for 'wave height' and 'sea conditions'.
