tip the scales

English

Alternative forms

• tip the scale

Pronunciation

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Verb

tip the scales (third-person singular simple present tips the scales, present participle tipping the scales, simple past and past participle tipped the scales)

1. (idiomatic) To turn to one side of a balanced situation.
   • 1935-1936, Robert E. Howard, The Hour of the Dragon:

     "But an uprising in the central provinces would tip the scales for us!" exclaimed Conan.

   • 2022 November 16, Philip Haigh, “German study puts hydrogen at the back of the queue”, in RAIL, number 970, page 51:

     That lends further credence to the argument that continuing to use diesel in low and limited circumstances makes sense. Unless, of course, we use so little across the country that it becomes rare and expensive. That might tip the scales against it, but I can't see that happening any time soon.

Synonyms

• turn the scale

Derived terms

• tip the scales at

Translations

to turn a balanced situation to one side

• Finnish: kääntää tilanne, vaikuttaa ratkaisevasti, kallistaa vaaka (less common)
• French: faire pencher la balance (fr)
• Polish: przechylać szalę impf, przechylić szalę pf, być języczkiem u wagi
• Russian: переве́сить (ru) pf (perevésitʹ), обеспе́чить переве́с pf (obespéčitʹ perevés)
• Spanish: declinar la balanza, inclinar la balanza

See also

• thumb on the scale