Definition of "level"

level

/ˈlɛv.əl/

adjective
comparative leveler or leveller, superlative levelest or levellest
1. The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground.
  Quotations
  the smooth and level pavement
  1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
2. At the same height as some reference; constructed as level with.
  Quotations
  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.
  1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 14, in The China Governess‎
3. Unvaried in frequency.
4. Unvaried in volume.
5. Calm.
6. In the same position or rank.
  Quotations
  Young boys and girls Are level now with men.
  c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene xv]
  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 Brom”, in BBC Sport‎
7. Straightforward; direct; clear.
  Quotations
  a very plain and level account
  1873, Matthew Arnold, Literature and Dogma
8. Well balanced; even; just; steady; impartial.
  Quotations
  a level consideration
  c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene i]
9. (phonetics) Of even tone; without rising or falling inflection; monotonic.
  Quotations
  Intonation or tone is either level, rising, or falling, marked respectively
  1891, Henry Sweet, A History of English Sounds from the Earliest Period
10. (physics) Perpendicular to a gravitational force.
noun
countable and uncountable, plural levels
1. A tool for finding whether a surface is level, or for creating a horizontal or vertical line of reference.
2. A distance relative to a given reference elevation.
3. Degree or amount.
  Quotations
  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.
  1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XVII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company
  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.
  2013 May 17, George Monbiot, “Money just makes the rich suffer”, in The Guardian Weekly‎, volume 188, number 23, page 19
4. Achievement or qualification.
5. (computer science) Distance from the root node of a tree structure.
6. (video games) One of several discrete segments of a game, generally increasing in difficulty and representing different locations in the game world.
7. (roleplaying games, video games) A numeric value that quantifies a character, ability, or item's experience and power.
8. A floor of a multi-storey building.
9. (Britain) An area of almost perfectly flat land.
  Quotations
  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!
  1820, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Oedipus Tyrannus; Or, Swellfoot The Tyrant: A Tragedy in Two Acts
10. (Singapore, education) A school grade or year.
11. (statistics) One of the specific values which may be taken by a categorical variable.
verb
third-person singular simple present levels, present participle (US) leveling or levelling, simple past and past participle (US) leveled or levelled
1. To adjust so as to make as flat or perpendicular to the ground as possible.
  Quotations
  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.
  1939 June, “Pertinent Paragraphs: Pitfalls”, in Railway Magazine, page 456
  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 be dug up, levelled and strengthened to meet tolerance requirements.
  2020 August 12, “Network News: Four new jacks at Clacton depot”, in Rail, page 18
2. To destroy by reducing to ground level; to raze.
  Quotations
  He levels mountains and he raises plains.
  1700, [John] Dryden, “Sigismonda and Guiscardo, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
3. (roleplaying games, video games) To progress to the next level.
4. To aim or direct (a weapon, a stare, an accusation, etc).
  Quotations
  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 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge, little dreaming that the deadly tube was levelled at them.
  1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […]
5. To direct or impose (a penalty, fine, etc) at or upon (someone).
  Quotations
  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, William Ross (Jr.), Abridgement of the laws of Scotland relating to hunting [etc], page 60
  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 Representatives, page 4955
  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
  Ultimately, Ms. Kroes [European Union Antitrust Commissioner] could level a fine and order Intel to change its business practices.
  2007, Mary Jacoby, EU investigators endorse charges against Intel, Wall Street Journal Europe, 17 January, page 32, column 5
6. (sports) To make the score of a game equal.
  Quotations
  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, “Tottenham 1-2 Norwich”, in BBC Sport
7. (figurative) To bring to a common level or plane, in respect of rank, condition, character, privilege, etc.
8. To adjust or adapt to a certain level.
  Quotations
  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. […], London: […] William Ponsonbie, […]
9. (usually with "with") To speak honestly and openly with.
  Quotations
  Sean, I'll level with you. This could get ugly. Do you have a gun?
  2010, James William Jones, Triple Crossed

Definition of "level"

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