| 1. | a variable scale, esp. of industrial costs, as wages, that may be adapted to changes in demand. |
| 2. | a wage scale varying with the selling price of goods produced, the cost of living, or profits. |
| 3. | a price scale, as of medical fees, in which prices vary according to the ability of individuals to pay. |
| 4. | a tariff scale varying according to changing prices. |
| slid·ing scale (slī'dĭng) n. A scale in which indicated prices, taxes, or wages vary in accordance with another factor, as wages with the cost-of-living index or medical charges with a patient's income. |