To cover with scales or to arrange in a scaled pattern; to remove scales from.
From en- + scale, where scale comes from Old French escale and Latin scala. The prefix en- creates a verb meaning to furnish with or remove scales, used in both literal and metaphorical senses.
This verb is rare today, but imagine medieval fishmongers 'enscaling' fish—scraping away those protective scales. The word shows how en- can mean either 'to put on' or 'to take off' depending on context, which can make old texts delightfully ambiguous.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.