level
having no part higher than another; having a flat or even surface.
being in a plane parallel to the plane of the horizon; horizontal.
a device used for determining or adjusting something to a horizontal surface.
Surveying.
Also called sur·vey·or's lev·el. an instrument for observing levels, having a sighting device, usually telescopic, and capable of being made precisely horizontal.
an observation made with this instrument.
an imaginary line or surface everywhere at right angles to the plumb line.
the horizontal line or plane in which anything is situated, with regard to its elevation.
a horizontal position or condition.
an extent of land approximately horizontal and unbroken by irregularities.
a level or flat surface.
a position with respect to a given or specified height: The water rose to a level of 30 feet.
an extent, measure, or degree of intensity, achievement, etc.: a high level of sound; an average level of writing skill.
Linguistics. a major subdivision of linguistic structure, as phonology, morphology, or syntax, often viewed as hierarchically ordered.: Compare component (def. 6a), stratum (def. 8).
Mining. the interconnected horizontal mine workings at a particular elevation or depth: There had been a cave-in on the 1,500-foot level.
(in a video game or role-playing game)
a discrete section in game design or narrative that ends with a culminating event, as a boss battle.
to make (a surface) level, even, or flat: to level ground before building.
to raise or lower to a particular level or position; to make horizontal.
to bring (something) to the level of the ground; raze: They leveled the trees to make way for the new highway.
Informal. to knock down (a person): He leveled his opponent with one blow.
to make equal, as in status or condition.
to make even or uniform, as coloring.
Historical Linguistics. (of the alternative forms of a paradigm) to reduce in number or regularize: Old English “him” (dative) and “hine” (accusative) have been leveled to Modern English “him.”
to aim or point (a weapon, criticism, etc.) at a mark or objective: He leveled his criticism at the college as a whole.
Surveying. to find the relative elevation of different points in (land), as with a level.
to bring things or persons to a common level.
to aim a weapon, criticism, etc., at a mark or objective.
Surveying.
to take a level.
to use a leveling instrument.
to speak truthfully and openly (often followed by with): You're not leveling with me about your trip to Chicago.
Obsolete. to direct the mind, purpose, etc., at something.
Obsolete. in a level, direct, or even way or line.
level off,
Aeronautics. to maintain a constant altitude after a climb or descent.
to become stable; reach a constant or limit.
to make even or smooth.
level up,
(in a video game or tabletop game) to obtain a higher character level or skill rank, or improve the quality or performance statistics of an object, as a weapon.
to perform at a higher standard than expected, or show vast improvement: It’s possible for a small business to level up and land big clients.Your date is smokin’ hot—way to level up, bro!
Idioms about level
find one's (own) level, to attain the place or position merited by one's abilities or achievements: He finally found his level as one of the directors of the firm.
one's level best, one's very best; one's utmost: We tried our level best to get here on time.
on the level, Informal. honest; sincere; reliable: Is this information on the level?
Origin of level
1synonym study For level
Other words for level
Opposites for level
Other words from level
- lev·el·ly, adverb
- lev·el·ness, noun
- an·ti·lev·el·ing, adjective
- an·ti·lev·el·ling, adjective
- in·ter·lev·el, adjective
- non·lev·el, adjective
- re·lev·el, verb, re·lev·eled, re·lev·el·ing or (especially British) re·lev·elled, re·lev·el·ling.
- self-lev·el·ing, adjective
- self-lev·el·ling, adjective
- un·der·lev·el, adjective
- un·lev·el, adjective
- un·lev·el·ly, adverb
- un·lev·el·ness, noun
- un·lev·eled, adjective
- un·lev·elled, adjective
- well-leveled, adjective
- well-levelled, adjective
Words Nearby level
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use level in a sentence
Democrats successfully argued for the case to be decided first at the state level.
There was no better pitcher in Major League Baseball over the last two seasons than Jacob deGrom,3 and in this shortened season he had taken his performance to another level.
On another level, I’m pleased by the many people who have worked for me and who will take these references and put their blend into it.
Christian Puglisi Is Closing His Influential Copenhagen Restaurants. COVID Is Only Partly to Blame | Rafael Tonon | September 17, 2020 | EaterHowever, adopting Total Investment Impact would require a level of trust that advertisers may be reticent to give.
NBCUniversal tests new measurement program to prove it can push product sales for advertisers | Tim Peterson | September 17, 2020 | DigidayFirst, the Apple Watch Series 6, starting at $400, includes a new blood-oxygen-level sensor, an altimeter to measure altitude, and a newer faster processor branded the S6.
Everything announced at Apple’s ‘Time Flies’ event today | rhhackettfortune | September 15, 2020 | Fortune
If she got caught with a shank, they would up her custody level.
How a ‘Real Housewife’ Survives Prison: ‘I Don’t See [Teresa Giudice] Having a Cakewalk Here’ | Michael Howard | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTHowever, the Air Force is so strapped for people that the ratio has dropped below even that reduced level.
Exclusive: U.S. Drone Fleet at ‘Breaking Point,’ Air Force Says | Dave Majumdar | January 5, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST“The level of outside support… has not been sufficient enough for them to distance themselves from al Nusra,” Cafarella said.
ISIS Fight Has a Spy Shortage, Intel Chair Says | Kimberly Dozier | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTOccasionally, a level will take 20 or more strokes to complete.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art | Alec Kubas-Meyer | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTSummonses for low-level offenses like public drinking and urination fell 94 percent—from 4,831 to 300.
"Here's my authority, yuh blasted runt," he yelled, and jerked his six-shooter to a level with the policeman's breast.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairYet a child coming under the humanising influences of culture soon gets far away from the level of the savage.
Children's Ways | James SullyThe height of the tower from the level of the street is 105 feet, the slated towers over the lateral pediments being smaller.
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham | Thomas T. Harman and Walter ShowellWe were about nine hours of fair daylight traversing 160 miles of level or descending grade, with a light passenger train.
Glances at Europe | Horace GreeleyBy its operation Gordon Wright, the most sensible man of our acquaintance, is reduced to the level of infancy!
Confidence | Henry James
British Dictionary definitions for level
/ (ˈlɛvəl) /
on a horizontal plane
having a surface of completely equal height
being of the same height as something else
(of quantities to be measured, as in recipes) even with the top of the cup, spoon, etc
equal to or even with (something or someone else)
not having or showing inconsistency or irregularities
Also: level-headed even-tempered; steady
(tr sometimes foll by off) to make (a surface) horizontal, level, or even
to make (two or more people or things) equal, as in position or status
(tr) to raze to the ground
(tr) to knock (a person) down by or as if by a blow
(tr) to direct (a gaze, criticism, etc) emphatically at someone
(intr often foll by with) informal to be straightforward and frank
(intr; foll by off or out) to manoeuvre an aircraft into a horizontal flight path after a dive, climb, or glide
(often foll by at) to aim (a weapon) horizontally
surveying to determine the elevation of a section of (land), sighting through a levelling instrument to a staff at successive pairs or points
a horizontal datum line or plane
a device, such as a spirit level, for determining whether a surface is horizontal
a surveying instrument consisting basically of a telescope with a spirit level attached, used for measuring relative heights of land: See Abney level, dumpy level
a reading of the difference in elevation of two points taken with such an instrument
position or status in a scale of values
amount or degree of progress; stage
a specified vertical position; altitude
a horizontal line or plane with respect to which measurement of elevation is based: sea level
a flat even surface or area of land
a horizontal passage or drift in a mine
any of the successive layers of material that have been deposited with the passage of time to build up and raise the height of the land surface
physics the ratio of the magnitude of a physical quantity to an arbitrary magnitude: sound-pressure level
do one's level best to make every possible effort; try one's utmost
find one's level to find one's most suitable place socially, professionally, etc
on a level on the same horizontal plane as another
on the level informal sincere, honest, or genuine
Origin of level
1Derived forms of level
- levelly, adverb
- levelness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with level
In addition to the idioms beginning with level
- level best
- level off
- level with someone
also see:
- do one's (level) best
- on the level
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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