1. To flake off or to chip off: The paint on the living room walls was scaling off so much that the room had to be repainted!
2. To scrap off the tartar from the teeth: It’s important for a dentist to scale a patient's teeth regularly in order for them to stay as healthy as possible.
3. To remove the small hard parts from an animal’s natural covering: To prepare the fish fillets for dinner, they have to be scaled and skinned perfectly and the inner organs must also be removed.