level
The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground.
Adjective 4 meanings
The same height at all places; parallel to a flat ground.
“This table isn't quite level; see how this marble rolls off it?”
At the same height as some reference; constructed as level with.
“We tried to hang the pictures so that the bottom of the frames were level with the dark line in the wallpaper.”
Unvaried in frequency.
“His pulse has been level for 12 hours.”
Unvaried in volume.
“His voice has been unchanged. It has been level for 12 hours.”
Noun 4 meanings
A tool for finding whether a surface is level, or for creating a horizontal or vertical line of reference.
“Hand me the level so I can tell if this is correctly installed.”
A distance relative to a given reference elevation.
“By the end of the day, we'd dug down to the level of the old basement floor.”
Degree or amount.
“The sound level is much too high; this hurts my ears.”
Achievement or qualification.
“She achieved a high level of distinction.”
Verb 4 meanings
To adjust so as to make as flat or perpendicular to the ground as possible.
“You can level the table by turning the pads that screw into the feet.”
To destroy by reducing to ground level; to raze.
“The hurricane leveled the forest.”
To progress to the next level.
“I levelled after defeating the dragon.”
To aim or direct (a weapon, a stare, an accusation, etc).
“He levelled an accusation of fraud at the directors. The hunter levels the gun before taking a shot.”
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.
Similar and opposite words
LEVEL at a glance
LEVEL has 5 letters and scores 8 points in Scrabble (L 1 + E 1 + V 4 + E 1 + L 1) and 11 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #354 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with level
All rhymesOne letter away
- LEVER8
- REVEL8
- LEVEE8
- DEVEL9
- BEVEL10
- NEVEL8
- LEMEL7
- KEVEL12
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