Etimology
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. The verb is from Middle English levelen, from the noun.
adjective
level (comparative leveler or leveller, superlative levelest or levellest)
The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground.
At the same height as some reference; constructed as level with.
Unvaried in frequency.
Unvaried in volume.
Calm.
In the same position or rank.
Straightforward; direct; clear.
Well balanced; even; just; steady; impartial.
(phonetics) Of even tone; without rising or falling inflection; monotonic.
(physics) Perpendicular to a gravitational force.
Examples
This table isn't quite level; see how this marble rolls off it?
the smooth and level pavement
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 pavement outside, a narrow way which was several feet lower than the road behind the house.
His pulse has been level for 12 hours.
His voice has been unchanged. It has been level for 12 hours.
He kept a level head under stress.
He kept a level gaze.
Young boys and girls Are level now with men.
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.
a very plain and level account
a level head; a level understanding
a level consideration
Intonation or tone is either level, rising, or falling, marked respectively
The earth's oceans remain level in relation to the pull of gravity.
Related words
antonyms
tilted
unbalanced
uneven
noun
level (countable and uncountable, plural levels)
A tool for finding whether a surface is level, or for creating a horizontal or vertical line of reference.
A distance relative to a given reference elevation.
Degree or amount.
Achievement or qualification.
(computer science) Distance from the root node of a tree structure.
(video games) One of several discrete segments of a game, generally increasing in difficulty and representing different locations in the game world.
(roleplaying games, video games) A numeric value that quantifies a character, ability, or item's experience and power.
A floor of a multi-storey building.
(British) An area of almost perfectly flat land.
(Singapore, education) A school grade or year.
(statistics) One of the specific values which may be taken by a categorical variable.
Examples
Hand me the level so I can tell if this is correctly installed.
By the end of the day, we'd dug down to the level of the old basement floor.
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 a moment she had dropped to the level of a casual labourer.
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 Edwardian levels of inequality are almost fetishised.
The sound level is much too high; this hurts my ears. We've reached a new level of success.
She achieved a high level of distinction.
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
My half-orc barbarian reached fifth level before he was squashed by a troll.
Take the elevator and get off at the promenade level.
The troops grow mutinous—the revenue fails—There’s something rotten in us—for the levelOf the State slopes, its very bases topple,The boldest turn their backs upon themselves!
The most common level of the colour variable is red. The other levels are blue and green.
Related words
hyponyms
bilevel, bi-level
bonus level
dead level
ground level
integrity level
safety integrity level
software integrity level
spirit level
split level
verb
level (third-person singular simple present levels, present participle (US) leveling or levelling, simple past and past participle (US) leveled or levelled)
To adjust so as to make as flat or perpendicular to the ground as possible.
To destroy by reducing to ground level; to raze.
(roleplaying games, video games) To progress to the next level.
To aim or direct (a weapon, a stare, an accusation, etc).
To direct or impose (a penalty, fine, etc) at or upon (someone).
(sports) To make the score of a game equal.
(figurative) To bring to a common level or plane, in respect of rank, condition, character, privilege, etc.
To adjust or adapt to a certain level.
(usually with "with") To speak honestly and openly with.
Examples
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 15 m.p.h. The subsidence appears now to have finished, and normal speed is once again permitted.
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 had to be dug up, levelled and strengthened to meet tolerance requirements.
The hurricane leveled the forest.
He levels mountains and he raises plains.
I levelled after defeating the dragon.
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.
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 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge, little dreaming that the deadly tube was levelled at them.
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 [...] ?
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 [...] ?
There is no purpose in levelling fines because they would be merely paid from the £1.8 billion which the BBC collects.
Ultimately, Ms. Kroes [European Union Antitrust Commissioner] could level a fine and order Intel to change its business practices.
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.
to level all the ranks and conditions of men
to level remarks to the capacity of children
For all his mind on honour fixed is, / To which he levels all his purposes.
Sean, I'll level with you. This could get ugly. Do you have a gun?