level (levels plural & 3rd person present) (levelling present participle) (levelled past tense & past participle )
in AM, use leveling, leveled
1 n-count A level is a point on a scale, for example a scale of amount, quality, or difficulty.
with supp
If you don't know your cholesterol level, it's a good idea to have it checked..., We do have the lowest level of inflation for some years..., The exercises are marked according to their level of difficulty.
2 n-sing The level of a river, lake, or ocean or the level of liquid in a container is the height of its surface.
the N
The water level of the Mississippi River is already 6.5 feet below normal..., The gauge relies upon a sensor in the tank to relay the fuel level.
→
sea level
3 adj In cookery, a level spoonful of a substance such as flour or sugar is an amount that fills the spoon exactly, without going above the top edge.
ADJ n (Antonym: heaped)
Stir in 1 level teaspoon of yeast.
4 n-sing If something is at a particular level, it is at that height.
usu supp N
Liz sank down until the water came up to her chin and the bubbles were at eye level.
5 adj If one thing is levelwith another thing, it is at the same height as it.
v-link ADJ, oft ADJ with n
He leaned over the counter so his face was almost level with the boy's..., Amy knelt down so that their eyes were level.
6 adj When something is level, it is completely flat with no part higher than any other.
The floor was level, but the ceiling sloped toward his head., ...a plateau of fairly level ground.
7 adv If you draw level with someone or something, you get closer to them until you are by their side.
(mainly BRIT) ADV after v
Just before we drew level with the gates, he slipped out of the jeep and disappeared into the crowd...
Level is also an adjective., adj v-link ADJ, oft ADJ with n
He waited until they were level with the door before he turned around sharply and punched Graham.
8 verb If someone or something such as a violent storm levels a building or area of land, they destroy it completely or make it completely flat.
The storm was the most powerful to hit Hawaii this century. It leveled sugar plantations and destroyed homes. V n
9 verb If an accusation or criticism islevelledat someone, they are accused of doing wrong or they are criticized for something they have done.
Allegations of corruption were levelled at him and his family... be V-ed at/against n
He leveled bitter criticism against the US. V n at/against n, Also V n
10 verb If you level an object at someone or something, you lift it and point it in their direction.
He said thousands of Koreans still levelled guns at one another along the demilitarised zone between them. V n at n, Also V n
11 verb If you levelwith someone, you tell them the truth and do not keep anything secret.
INFORMAL I'll level with you. I'm no great detective. I've no training or anything... V with n
13 If you say that you will do your level best to do something, you are emphasizing that you will try as hard as you can to do it, even if the situation makes it very difficult.
do one's level best phrase V inflects, usu PHR to-inf (emphasis)
The President told American troops that he would do his level best to bring them home soon.
14
→
a level playing field
→
playing field level off , level out
1 phrasal verb If a changing number or amount levels off or levels out, it stops increasing or decreasing at such a fast speed.
The figures show evidence that murders in the nation's capital are beginning to level off... V P
Inflation is finally levelling out at around 11% a month. V P prep
2 phrasal verb If an aircraft levels off or levels out, it travels horizontally after having been travelling in an upwards or downwards direction.
The aircraft levelled out at about 30,000 feet. V P level out
→
level off
