level

[ lev-uhl ]
See synonyms for: levelleveledlevelinglevelled on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. having no part higher than another; having a flat or even surface.

  2. being in a plane parallel to the plane of the horizon; horizontal.

  1. equal, as one thing with another or two or more things with one another.

  2. even, equable, or uniform.

  3. filled to a height even with the rim of a container: a level teaspoon of salt.

  4. mentally well-balanced; sensible; rational: to keep a level head in a crisis.

noun
  1. a device used for determining or adjusting something to a horizontal surface.

  2. 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.

  1. an imaginary line or surface everywhere at right angles to the plumb line.

  2. the horizontal line or plane in which anything is situated, with regard to its elevation.

  3. a horizontal position or condition.

  4. an extent of land approximately horizontal and unbroken by irregularities.

  5. a level or flat surface.

  6. a position with respect to a given or specified height: The water rose to a level of 30 feet.

  7. a position or plane in a graded scale of values; status; rank: His acting was on the level of an amateur. They associated only with those on their own economic level.

  8. an extent, measure, or degree of intensity, achievement, etc.: a high level of sound; an average level of writing skill.

  9. Linguistics. a major subdivision of linguistic structure, as phonology, morphology, or syntax, often viewed as hierarchically ordered.: Compare component (def. 6a), stratum (def. 8).

  10. Mining. the interconnected horizontal mine workings at a particular elevation or depth: There had been a cave-in on the 1,500-foot level.

  11. (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.

verb (used with object),lev·eled, lev·el·ing or (especially British) lev·elled, lev·el·ling.
  1. to make (a surface) level, even, or flat: to level ground before building.

  2. to raise or lower to a particular level or position; to make horizontal.

  1. to bring (something) to the level of the ground; raze: They leveled the trees to make way for the new highway.

  2. Informal. to knock down (a person): He leveled his opponent with one blow.

  3. to make equal, as in status or condition.

  4. to make even or uniform, as coloring.

  5. 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.”

  6. to aim or point (a weapon, criticism, etc.) at a mark or objective: He leveled his criticism at the college as a whole.

  7. Surveying. to find the relative elevation of different points in (land), as with a level.

verb (used without object),lev·eled, lev·el·ing or (especially British) lev·elled, lev·el·ling.
  1. to bring things or persons to a common level.

  2. to aim a weapon, criticism, etc., at a mark or objective.

  1. Surveying.

  2. to speak truthfully and openly (often followed by with): You're not leveling with me about your trip to Chicago.

  3. Obsolete. to direct the mind, purpose, etc., at something.

adverb
  1. Obsolete. in a level, direct, or even way or line.

Verb Phrases
  1. 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.

  2. 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

  1. 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.

  2. one's level best, one's very best; one's utmost: We tried our level best to get here on time.

  1. on the level, Informal. honest; sincere; reliable: Is this information on the level?

Origin of level

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English noun, variant of livel, from Middle French, from unattested Vulgar Latin lībellum, for Latin lībella “plummet line, level,” diminutive of lībra “balance, scales”; the verb is derived from the noun

synonym study For level

1, 2. Level, even, flat, smooth suggest a uniform surface without marked unevenness. That which is level is parallel to the horizon: a level surface; A billiard table must be level. Flat is applied to any plane surface free from marked irregularities: a flat roof. With reference to land or country, flat connotes lowness or unattractiveness; level does not suggest anything derogatory. That which is even is free from irregularities, though not necessarily level or plane: an even land surface with no hills. Smooth suggests a high degree of evenness in any surface, especially to the touch and sometimes to the sight: as smooth as silk.

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use level in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for level

level

/ (ˈlɛvəl) /


adjective
  1. on a horizontal plane

  2. having a surface of completely equal height

  1. being of the same height as something else

  2. (of quantities to be measured, as in recipes) even with the top of the cup, spoon, etc

  3. equal to or even with (something or someone else)

  4. not having or showing inconsistency or irregularities

  5. Also: level-headed even-tempered; steady

verb-els, -elling or -elled or US -els, -eling or -eled
  1. (tr sometimes foll by off) to make (a surface) horizontal, level, or even

  2. to make (two or more people or things) equal, as in position or status

  1. (tr) to raze to the ground

  2. (tr) to knock (a person) down by or as if by a blow

  3. (tr) to direct (a gaze, criticism, etc) emphatically at someone

  4. (intr often foll by with) informal to be straightforward and frank

  5. (intr; foll by off or out) to manoeuvre an aircraft into a horizontal flight path after a dive, climb, or glide

  6. (often foll by at) to aim (a weapon) horizontally

  7. surveying to determine the elevation of a section of (land), sighting through a levelling instrument to a staff at successive pairs or points

noun
  1. a horizontal datum line or plane

  2. a device, such as a spirit level, for determining whether a surface is horizontal

  1. 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

  2. a reading of the difference in elevation of two points taken with such an instrument

  3. position or status in a scale of values

  4. amount or degree of progress; stage

  5. a specified vertical position; altitude

  6. a horizontal line or plane with respect to which measurement of elevation is based: sea level

  7. a flat even surface or area of land

  8. a horizontal passage or drift in a mine

  9. 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

  10. physics the ratio of the magnitude of a physical quantity to an arbitrary magnitude: sound-pressure level

  11. do one's level best to make every possible effort; try one's utmost

  12. find one's level to find one's most suitable place socially, professionally, etc

  13. on a level on the same horizontal plane as another

  14. on the level informal sincere, honest, or genuine

Origin of level

1
C14: from Old French livel, from Vulgar Latin lībellum (unattested), from Latin lībella, diminutive of lībra scales

Derived 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

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.