1227, "act of raising or collecting," from Anglo-Fr. leve, from O.Fr. levée "act of raising," noun use of fem. pp. of lever "to raise" (see lever). Originally of taxes, later of men for armies (1500). The noun meaning "an act of levying" is from 1427.
Main Entry: levy Pronunciation: 'le-vE Function: noun Inflected Form: plurallev·ies 1: an act of levying: as a:
the imposition or collection of a tax b: the seizure according to a writ of execution of real or personal property in a judgment debtor's possession to satisfy a judgment debt 2: an amount levied :TAX <providing for a levy of 3% on income up to $10,000 —D. Q. Posin>
Main Entry: levy Function: verb Inflected Forms: lev·ied; levy·ing transitive verb 1: to impose or collect (as a tax or fine) with
authority <allow it to levy stiffer penalties for some safety violations —National Law Journal> 2: to enforce or carry into effect (a writ of execution)
—compare ATTACH, GARNISH intransitive verb : to
enforce a writ of execution or attachment; specifically: to make a seizure of real or personal property in a judgment debtor's possession <they might as a last resort levy on
his merchandise —J. J. White and Railroad S. Summers>
Levy County, FL (county, FIPS 75) Location: 29.27748 N, 82.78985 W Population (1990): 25923 (12307 housing units) Area: 2896.8 sq km (land), 761.4 sq km (water)
Lev"ee\, n. [F. lev['e]e, fr. lever to raise. See Lever, and cf. Levy.] An embankment to prevent inundation; as, the levees along the Mississippi; sometimes, the steep bank of a river. [U. S.]
Le"ver\ (l[=e]"v[~e]r or l[e^]v"[~e]r; 277), n. [OE. levour, OF. leveor, prop., a lifter, fr. F. lever to raise, L. levare; akin to levis light in weight, E. levity, and perh. to E. light not heavy: cf. F. levier. Cf. Alleviate, Elevate, Leaven, Legerdemain, Levee, Levy, n.]1. (Mech.) A rigid piece which is capable of turning about one point, or axis (the fulcrum), and in which are two or more other points where forces are applied; -- used for transmitting and modifying force and motion. Specif., a bar of metal, wood, or other rigid substance, used to exert a pressure, or sustain a weight, at one point of its length, by receiving a force or power at a second, and turning at a third on a fixed point called a fulcrum. It is usually named as the first of the six mechanical powers, and is of three kinds, according as either the fulcrum F, the weight W, or the power P, respectively, is situated between the other two, as in the figures. 2. (Mach.) (a) A bar, as a capstan bar, applied to a rotatory piece to turn it. (b) An arm on a rock shaft, to give motion to the shaft or to obtain motion from it. Compound lever, a machine consisting of two or more levers acting upon each other. Lever escapement. See Escapement. Lever jack. See Jack, n., 5. Lever watch, a watch having a vibrating lever to connect the action of the escape wheel with that of the balance. Universal lever, a machine formed by a combination of a lever with the wheel and axle, in such a manner as to convert the reciprocating motion of the lever into a continued rectilinear motion of some body to which the power is applied.
Lev"i*a*ble\ (l[e^]v"[i^]*[.a]*b'l), a. [From Levy to assess.] Fit to be levied; capable of being assessed and collected; as, sums leviable by course of law. --Bacon.
Lev"y\ (-[y^]), n.; pl. Levies (-[i^]z). [A contr. of elevenpence or elevenpenny bit.] A name formerly given in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia to the Spanish real of one eighth of a dollar (or 121/2 cents), valued at eleven pence when the dollar was rated at 7s. 6d.
Lev"y\, n. [F. lev['e]e, fr. lever to raise. See Lever, and cf. Levee.]1. The act of levying or collecting by authority; as, the levy of troops, taxes, etc. A levy of all the men left under sixty. --Thirlwall. 2. That which is levied, as an army, force, tribute, etc. " The Irish levies." --Macaulay. 3. (Law) The taking or seizure of property on executions to satisfy judgments, or on warrants for the collection of taxes; a collecting by execution. Levy in mass [F. lev['e]e en masse], a requisition of all able-bodied men for military service.
Lev"y\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Levied (l[e^]v"[i^]d); p. pr. & vb. n. Levying.]1. To raise, as a siege. [Obs.] --Holland. 2. To raise; to collect; said of troops, to form into an army by enrollment, conscription, etc. Augustine . . . inflamed Ethelbert, king of Kent, to levy his power, and to war against them. --Fuller. 3. To raise or collect by assessment; to exact by authority; as, to levy taxes, toll, tribute, or contributions. If they do this . . . my ransom, then, Will soon be levied. --Shak. 4. (Law) (a) To gather or exact; as, to levy money. (b) To erect, build, or set up; to make or construct; to raise or cast up; as, to levy a mill, dike, ditch, a nuisance, etc. [Obs.] --Cowell. --Blackstone. (c) To take or seize on execution; to collect by execution. To levy a fine, to commence and carry on a suit for assuring the title to lands or tenements. --Blackstone. To levy war, to make or begin war; to take arms for attack; to attack.
Lev"y\, v. i. To seize property, real or personal, or subject it to the operation of an execution; to make a levy; as, to levy on property; the usual mode of levying, in England, is by seizing the goods. To levy on goods and chattels, to take into custody or seize specific property in satisfaction of a writ.
(1 Kings 4:6, R.V.; 5:13), forced service. The service of tributaries was often thus exacted by kings. Solomon raised a "great levy" of 30,000 men, about two per cent. of the population, to work for him by courses on Lebanon. Adoram (12:18) presided over this forced labour service (Ger. Frohndienst; Fr. corvee).
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Audio Help [lev-ee] Pronunciation Key noun, plural lev·ies, verb, lev·ied, lev·y·ing. 
