level

The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground.

Adjective

  1. The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground.
    • This table isn't quite level; see how this marble rolls off it?
    • the smooth and level pavement - 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC;...

    Synonyms: flush

  2. At the same height as some reference; constructed as level with.
    • We tried to hang the pictures so that the bottom of the frames were level with the dark line in the wallpaper.
    • Nanny Broome was looking up at the outer wall. Just under the ceiling there were three lunette windows, heavily barred and blacked out in the normal way by centuries of grime. Their bases were on a level with the...
  3. Unvaried in frequency.
    • His pulse has been level for 12 hours.
  4. Unvaried in volume.
    • His voice has been unchanged. It has been level for 12 hours.
  5. Calm.
    • He kept a level head under stress.
    • He kept a level gaze.
  6. In the same position or rank.
    • Young boys and girls Are level now with men. - c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio),...
    • After a poor start to the season, Roy Hodgson's men are now unbeaten in four matches and 10th in the Premier League table, level with Aston Villa on 11 points. - 2011 October 22, Sam Sheringham, “Aston Villa 1 - 2 West...
  7. Straightforward; direct; clear.
    • a very plain and level account - 1873, Matthew Arnold, Literature and Dogma:
  8. Well balanced; even; just; steady; impartial.
    • a level head; a level understanding
    • a level consideration - c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London:...
  9. Of even tone; without rising or falling inflection; monotonic.
    • Intonation or tone is either level, rising, or falling, marked respectively - 1891, Henry Sweet, A History of English Sounds from the Earliest Period:
  10. Perpendicular to a gravitational force.
    • The earth's oceans remain level in relation to the pull of gravity.

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *leyH-der. Proto-Indo-European *-dʰromder. Proto-Italic *līðrā? Latin lībra Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -la Latin libella Old French nivel Old French livelbor. Middle English level English level From Middle English level, from Old French livel, liveau m, later nivel, niveau, from Latin libella f (“a balance, a level”), diminutive of libra f (“a balance, a level”); see libra, librate. Doublet of libella and niveau. The verb is from Middle English levelen, from the noun.

Forms

leveler leveller levelest levellest

Antonyms

tilted unbalanced uneven

Derived

bi-level bilevel block-level county-level municipality deep-level delevel downlevel draw level eigenlevel forelevel garden level high-level interlevel intermediate-level intralevel levelable levelage level best level-handed level-headed levelise levelish levelism levelize

Noun

  1. A tool for finding whether a surface is level, or for creating a horizontal or vertical line of reference.
    • Hand me the level so I can tell if this is correctly installed.
  2. A distance relative to a given reference elevation.
    • By the end of the day, we'd dug down to the level of the old basement floor.
  3. Degree or amount.
    • This time was most dreadful for Lilian. Thrown on her own resources and almost penniless, she maintained herself and paid the rent of a wretched room near the hospital by working as a charwoman, sempstress, anything. In...
    • In order to grant the rich these pleasures, the social contract is reconfigured. […] The public realm is privatised, the regulations restraining the ultra–wealthy and the companies they control are abandoned, and...
    • The sound level is much too high; this hurts my ears.
  4. Achievement or qualification.
    • She achieved a high level of distinction.
  5. Distance from the root node of a tree structure.
  6. One of several discrete segments of a game, generally increasing in difficulty and representing different locations in the game world.
    • Many of the levels change over time, from day to night or from one location to another, and some undergo a total transformation. - 2007 December 5, Chris Slate, “Get Ready to Smash”, in Nintendo Power, volume 222, page...
    • It took me weeks to get to level seven. Watch out for the next level; the bad guys there are really overpowered.

    Synonyms: stage zone world

  7. A numeric value given to a character (or other element of a game) that represents its relative power, challenge or eligibility to do things, used as a game mechanic to govern progression through a game.
    • My half-orc barbarian reached fifth level before he was squashed by a troll.
  8. A floor of a multi-storey building.
    • Take the elevator and get off at the promenade level.
  9. An area of almost perfectly flat land.
    • The troops grow mutinous—the revenue fails— There’s something rotten in us—for the level Of the State slopes, its very bases topple, The boldest turn their backs upon themselves! - 1820, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Oedipus...
  10. A school grade or year.
  11. One of the specific values which may be taken by a categorical variable.
    • The most common level of the colour variable is red. The other levels are blue and green.

Forms

levels

Hyponyms

bilevel bi-level bonus level dead level ground level integrity level safety integrity level software integrity level spirit level split level

Derived

Abney level Advanced level air level A-level A level alpha level angle level AS-level beat level blind level block level element box level brow level brow-level bubble level C-level confidence level contact leve core-level county-level city critical tide level day level difficulty level division level

Verb

  1. To adjust so as to make as flat or perpendicular to the ground as possible.
    • You can level the table by turning the pads that screw into the feet.
    • This pitfall, beginning in February and finishing in May, resulted in a drop of about 3 ft. in the platform level; during this period it was necessary to level the track three times weekly, and impose a service slack of...
    • The work involved a complete rewiring of the system, while the addition of four higher-capacity Mechan jacks and the increased length of the new train meant the entire floor (the length of four train carriages) had to...
  2. To destroy by reducing to ground level; to raze.
    • The hurricane leveled the forest.
    • He levels mountains and he raises plains. - 1700, [John] Dryden, “Sigismonda and Guiscardo, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
  3. To progress to the next level.
    • I levelled after defeating the dragon.

    Synonyms: level up

  4. To aim or direct (a weapon, a stare, an accusation, etc).
    • He levelled an accusation of fraud at the directors. The hunter levels the gun before taking a shot.
    • Bertram de Gordon, standing on the castle wall, levelled a quarrel out of a crossbow. - 1592, John Stow, The Annales of England:
    • But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶[…]The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window […], and a...
  5. To direct or impose (a penalty, fine, etc) at or upon (someone) [with on or against or at].
    • If the right of killing salmon belong exclusively to the King, and consequently to his donatories, why has not the Legislature secured the right by levelling penalties against such as should encroach upon it … ? - 1809,...
    • How can the Minister reconcile the first statement with the clause, when he is in fact levelling punishment at the woman and not at the errant father … ? - 1978, Parliamentary Debates of the New Zealand House of...
    • There is no purpose in levelling fines because they would be merely paid from the £1.8 billion which the BBC collects. - 1995, The Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) of the [Great British] House of Lords:

    Synonyms: levy

  6. To make the score of a game equal.
    • Holt was furious referee Michael Oliver refused to then award him a penalty after Ledley King appeared to pull his shirt and his anger was compounded when Spurs immediately levelled. - 2012 April 9, Mandeep Sanghera,...

    Synonyms: equalize

  7. To bring to a common level or plane, in respect of rank, condition, character, privilege, etc.
    • to level all the ranks and conditions of men
  8. To adjust or adapt to a certain level.
    • to level remarks to the capacity of children
    • For all his mind on honour fixed is, / To which he levels all his purposes. - 1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “Prosopopoia. Or Mother Hubberds Tale.”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. […],...
  9. To speak honestly and openly [with with ‘someone’] (see: level with).
    • Sean, I'll level with you. This could get ugly. Do you have a gun? - 2010, James William Jones, Triple Crossed:
  10. To replace (an irregular form) with a more common form; to remove irregularities or complexities, such as within a paradigm; to regularize.

Forms

levels leveling levelling leveled levelled

Related

level-coil

Derived

level down leveled leveling level off level out level up level with