level
♦♦♦ lev|el /l'evəl/ (levels levelling levelled)
in AM, use leveling, leveled
1 [N-COUNT] with supp
A level is a point on a scale, for example a scale of amount, quality, or difficulty.
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 N
The level of a river, lake, or ocean or the level of liquid in a container is the height of its surface.
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.
see also sea level
3 [ADJ] ADJ n
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.
Stir in 1 level teaspoon of yeast.
≠ heaped
4 [N-SING] usu supp N
If something is at a particular level, it is at that height.
Liz sank down until the water came up to her chin and the bubbles were at eye level.
5 [ADJ] v-link ADJ, oft ADJ with n
If one thing is level with another thing, it is at the same height as it.
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] ADV after v
If you draw level with someone or something, you get closer to them until you are by their side. (mainly BRIT)
Just before we drew level with the gates, he slipped out of the jeep and disappeared into the crowd...
[ADJ] v-link ADJ, oft ADJ with n
Level is also an adjective.
He waited until they were level with the door before he turned around sharply and punched Graham.
8 [VERB] V n
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.
9 [VERB] be V-ed at/against n, V n at/against n, also V n
If an accusation or criticism is levelled at 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...
He leveled bitter criticism against the US.
10 [VERB] V n at n, also V n
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.
11 [VERB] V with n
If you level with 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...
12
see also A level
13 [PHRASE] V inflects, usu PHR to-inf
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.
The President told American troops that he would do his level best to bring them home soon.
14
a level playing field: see playing fieldA lev|el /'eɪ levəl/ (A levels)
[N-VAR]
A levels are British educational qualifications which schoolchildren take when they are seventeen or eighteen years old. People usually need A levels if they want to go to university in Britain.
He left school with four A levels...ground lev|el
[N-UNCOUNT] oft prep N
If something is at ground level, it is at the same level as the ground, as opposed to being higher up or below the surface.
The hotel is set on three floors. There's a bar and cafe at ground level...
The remaining block of woodland is cut down to ground level.lev|el cross|ing (level crossings)
[N-COUNT]
A level crossing is a place where a railway line crosses a road. (BRIT; in AM, use grade crossing, railroad crossing)level off
or level out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P prep
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...
Inflation is finally levelling out at around 11% a month.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
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.level out
see level offlev|el peg|ging
also level-pegging
[ADJ] v-link ADJ, oft ADJ with n
If two opponents in a competition or contest are level pegging, they are equal with each other. (BRIT)
An opinion poll published in May showed Mrs Yardley was level-pegging with Mr Simpson.sea lev|el
also sea-level
[N-UNCOUNT]
Sea level is the average level of the sea with respect to the land. The height of mountains or other areas is calculated in relation to sea level.
The stadium was 2275 metres above sea level...spir|it lev|el (spirit levels)
also spirit-level
[N-COUNT]
A spirit level is a device for testing to see if a surface is level. It consists of a plastic, wood, or metal frame containing a glass tube of liquid with an air bubble in it.
in AM, use leveling, leveled
1 [N-COUNT] with supp
A level is a point on a scale, for example a scale of amount, quality, or difficulty.
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 N
The level of a river, lake, or ocean or the level of liquid in a container is the height of its surface.
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.
see also sea level
3 [ADJ] ADJ n
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.
Stir in 1 level teaspoon of yeast.
≠ heaped
4 [N-SING] usu supp N
If something is at a particular level, it is at that height.
Liz sank down until the water came up to her chin and the bubbles were at eye level.
5 [ADJ] v-link ADJ, oft ADJ with n
If one thing is level with another thing, it is at the same height as it.
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] ADV after v
If you draw level with someone or something, you get closer to them until you are by their side. (mainly BRIT)
Just before we drew level with the gates, he slipped out of the jeep and disappeared into the crowd...
[ADJ] v-link ADJ, oft ADJ with n
Level is also an adjective.
He waited until they were level with the door before he turned around sharply and punched Graham.
8 [VERB] V n
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.
9 [VERB] be V-ed at/against n, V n at/against n, also V n
If an accusation or criticism is levelled at 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...
He leveled bitter criticism against the US.
10 [VERB] V n at n, also V n
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.
11 [VERB] V with n
If you level with 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...
12
see also A level
13 [PHRASE] V inflects, usu PHR to-inf
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.
The President told American troops that he would do his level best to bring them home soon.
14
a level playing field: see playing fieldA lev|el /'eɪ levəl/ (A levels)
[N-VAR]
A levels are British educational qualifications which schoolchildren take when they are seventeen or eighteen years old. People usually need A levels if they want to go to university in Britain.
He left school with four A levels...ground lev|el
[N-UNCOUNT] oft prep N
If something is at ground level, it is at the same level as the ground, as opposed to being higher up or below the surface.
The hotel is set on three floors. There's a bar and cafe at ground level...
The remaining block of woodland is cut down to ground level.lev|el cross|ing (level crossings)
[N-COUNT]
A level crossing is a place where a railway line crosses a road. (BRIT; in AM, use grade crossing, railroad crossing)level off
or level out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P prep
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...
Inflation is finally levelling out at around 11% a month.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
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.level out
see level offlev|el peg|ging
also level-pegging
[ADJ] v-link ADJ, oft ADJ with n
If two opponents in a competition or contest are level pegging, they are equal with each other. (BRIT)
An opinion poll published in May showed Mrs Yardley was level-pegging with Mr Simpson.sea lev|el
also sea-level
[N-UNCOUNT]
Sea level is the average level of the sea with respect to the land. The height of mountains or other areas is calculated in relation to sea level.
The stadium was 2275 metres above sea level...spir|it lev|el (spirit levels)
also spirit-level
[N-COUNT]
A spirit level is a device for testing to see if a surface is level. It consists of a plastic, wood, or metal frame containing a glass tube of liquid with an air bubble in it.