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• levant
  levant

  verb (used without object)

  to leave secretly or hurriedly to avoid paying debts.
• Levant
  Levant

  noun

  the lands bordering the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

levant

¹ American  

[li-vant] / lɪˈvænt /

verb (used without object)

British Slang.

1. to leave secretly or hurriedly to avoid paying debts.

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Levant ² American  

[li-vant] / lɪˈvænt /

noun

1. the lands bordering the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

2. Also called Levant morocco.  a superior grade of morocco leather having a large and prominent grain, originally made in the Levant.

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levant ¹ British  

/ lɪˈvænt /

verb

1. (intr) to bolt or abscond, esp to avoid paying debts

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levant ² British  

/ lɪˈvænt /

noun

1. a type of leather made from the skins of goats, sheep, or seals, having a pattern of irregular creases

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Levant ³ British  

/ lɪˈvænt /

noun

1. a former name for the area of the E Mediterranean now occupied by Lebanon, Syria, and Israel

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Levant Cultural  

1. Name for the nations on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea: Cyprus, Egypt (see also Egypt), Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• levanter
  noun

Etymology

Origin of levant¹

1750–60; perhaps < Spanish levantar to lift (Compare levantar el campo to break camp, leave), frequentative of levar < Latin levāre

Origin of Levant²

1490–1500; earlier levaunt < Middle French levant, noun use (with reference to rising sun) of present participle of lever to raise ( se lever to rise). See lever

Example Sentences

Post 8vo, half brown levant morocco, gilt back, gilt top, uncut edges, by Allo.

From A Catalogue of Books in English Later than 1700 (Vol 1 of 3) Forming a portion of the library of Robert Hoe by Various

MDCCLXXIII. 8vo, blue levant morocco, gilt back, gilt edges, by Rivière.

From A Catalogue of Books in English Later than 1700 (Vol 1 of 3) Forming a portion of the library of Robert Hoe by Various

An VI-1798. 12mo, half green levant morocco, gilt back, gilt top, uncut edges.

From A Catalogue of Books in English Later than 1700 (Vol 1 of 3) Forming a portion of the library of Robert Hoe by Various

Post 8vo, nineteen years bound in five volumes, half green levant morocco, gilt back, gilt top, uncut edges, by Bedford.

From A Catalogue of Books in English Later than 1700 (Vol 1 of 3) Forming a portion of the library of Robert Hoe by Various

According to a common rule the only cattle allowed to use the village pasture was that which was constantly kept in the village, levant e couchant en le maner.

From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Vinogradoff, Paul