level
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈlɛv.l̩/
rhymes: -ɛvəl
Forms: form: levels
form: leveling
form: levelling
form: leveled
form: leveled
form: levelled
form: levelled
Etymology: 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.
Senses: examples: text: You can level the table by turning the pads that screw into the feet.
text: 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.
ref: 1939 June, “Pertinent Paragraphs: Pitfalls”, in Railway Magazine, page 456:
text: 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.
ref: 2020 August 12, “Network News: Four new jacks at Clacton depot”, in Rail, page 18:
glosses: To adjust so as to make as flat or perpendicular to the ground as possible.
examples: text: The hurricane leveled the forest.
text: He levels mountains and he raises plains.
ref: 1700, [John] Dryden, “Sigismonda and Guiscardo, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
glosses: To destroy by reducing to ground level; to raze.
examples: text: I levelled after defeating the dragon.
topics: video-games
synonyms: level up
qualifier: roleplaying games
glosses: To progress to the next level.
examples: text: He levelled an accusation of fraud at the directors.  The hunter levels the gun before taking a shot.
text: Bertram de Gordon, standing on the castle wall, levelled a quarrel out of a crossbow.
ref: 1592, John Stow, The Annales of England:
text: 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.
ref: 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
text: The force of her horror must have been palpable in the air, because Jorge's eyes opened as she raised the bayonet up. "Fina?"
ref: 2023 October 12, HarryBlank, “Fire in the Hole”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 22 May 2024:
glosses: To aim or direct (a weapon, a stare, an accusation, etc).
examples: text: 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 … ?
ref: 1809, William Ross (Jr.), Abridgement of the laws of Scotland relating to hunting [etc], page 60
text: 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 … ?
ref: 1978, Parliamentary Debates of the New Zealand House of Representatives, page 4955
text: There is no purpose in levelling fines because they would be merely paid from the £1.8 billion which the BBC collects.
ref: 1995, The Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) of the [Great British] House of Lords:
text: Ultimately, Ms. Kroes [European Union Antitrust Commissioner] could level a fine and order Intel to change its business practices.
ref: 2007, Mary Jacoby, EU investigators endorse charges against Intel, Wall Street Journal Europe, 17 January, page 32, column 5
info_templates: extra_data: words: on
against
at
expansion: [with on or against or at]
synonyms: levy
glosses: To direct or impose (a penalty, fine, etc) at or upon (someone) [with on or against or at].
examples: text: 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.
ref: 2012 April 9, Mandeep Sanghera, “Tottenham 1-2 Norwich”, in BBC Sport:
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
sports
synonyms: equalize
glosses: To make the score of a game equal.
examples: text: to level all the ranks and conditions of men
glosses: To bring to a common level or plane, in respect of rank, condition, character, privilege, etc.
examples: text: to level remarks to the capacity of children
text: For all his mind on honour fixed is, / To which he levels all his purposes.
ref: 1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “Prosopopoia. Or Mother Hubberds Tale.”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. […], London: […] William Ponsonbie, […], →OCLC:
glosses: To adjust or adapt to a certain level.
examples: text: Sean, I'll level with you. This could get ugly. Do you have a gun?
ref: 2010, James William Jones, Triple Crossed:
info_templates: expansion: [with with ‘someone’]
glosses: To speak honestly and openly [with with ‘someone’] (see: level with).
Derived terms: level down
level off
level out
level up
level with
Related terms: sense: etymologically unrelated terms containing "level"
word: level-coil