a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
<noun.attribute> a moderate grade of intelligence a high level of care is required it is all a matter of degree
a relative position or degree of value in a graded group
<noun.state> lumber of the highest grade
a specific identifiable position in a continuum or series or especially in a process
<noun.state> a remarkable degree of frankness at what stage are the social sciences?
height above ground
<noun.attribute> the water reached ankle level the pictures were at the same level
indicator that establishes the horizontal when a bubble is centered in a tube of liquid
<noun.artifact>
a flat surface at right angles to a plumb line
<noun.artifact> park the car on the level
an abstract place usually conceived as having depth
<noun.cognition> a good actor communicates on several levels a simile has at least two layers of meaning the mind functions on many strata simultaneously
a structure consisting of a room or set of rooms at a single position along a vertical scale
<noun.artifact> what level is the office on? [ verb ]
aim at
<verb.competition> level criticism or charges at somebody
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
<adj.all> a flat desk acres of level farmland a plane surface skirts sewn with fine flat seams
not showing abrupt variations
<adj.all> spoke in a level voice she gave him a level look
being on a precise horizontal plane
<adj.all> a billiard table must be level
oriented at right angles to the plumb
<adj.all> the picture is level
of the score in a contest
<adj.all> the score is tied
Level \Lev"el\ (l[e^]v"[e^]l), n. [OE. level, livel, OF. livel, F. niveau, fr. L. libella level, water level, a plumb level, dim. of libra pound, measure for liquids, balance, water poise, level. Cf. {Librate}, {Libella}.] 1. A line or surface to which, at every point, a vertical or plumb line is perpendicular; a line or surface which is everywhere parallel to the surface of still water; -- this is the true level, and is a curve or surface in which all points are equally distant from the center of the earth, or rather would be so if the earth were an exact sphere.
2. A horizontal line or plane; that is, a straight line or a plane which is tangent to a true level at a given point and hence parallel to the horizon at that point; -- this is the apparent level at the given point.
3. An approximately horizontal line or surface at a certain degree of altitude, or distance from the center of the earth; as, to climb from the level of the coast to the level of the plateau and then descend to the level of the valley or of the sea.
After draining of the level in Northamptonshire. --Sir M. Hale.
Shot from the deadly level of a gun. --Shak.
4. Hence, figuratively, a certain position, rank, standard, degree, quality, character, etc., conceived of as in one of several planes of different elevation.
Providence, for the most part, sets us on a level. --Addison.
Somebody there of his own level. --Swift.
Be the fair level of thy actions laid As temperance wills and prudence may persuade. --Prior.
5. A uniform or average height; a normal plane or altitude; a condition conformable to natural law or which will secure a level surface; as, moving fluids seek a level.
When merit shall find its level. --F. W. Robertson.
6. (Mech. & Surv.) (a) An instrument by which to find a horizontal line, or adjust something with reference to a horizontal line. (b) A measurement of the difference of altitude of two points, by means of a level; as, to take a level.
7. A horizontal passage, drift, or adit, in a mine.
{Air level}, {a spirit level}. See {Spirit level} (below).
{Box level}, a spirit level in which a glass-covered box is used instead of a tube.
{Carpenter's level}, {Mason's level}, either the plumb level or a straight bar of wood, in which is imbedded a small spirit level.
{Level of the sea}, the imaginary level from which heights and depths are calculated, taken at a mean distance between high and low water.
{Line of levels}, a connected series of measurements, by means of a level, along a given line, as of a railroad, to ascertain the profile of the ground.
{Plumb level}, one in which a horizontal bar is placed in true position by means of a plumb line, to which it is at right angles.
{Spirit level}, one in which the adjustment to the horizon is shown by the position of a bubble in alcohol or ether contained in a nearly horizontal glass tube, or a circular box with a glass cover.
{Surveyor's level}, a telescope, with a spirit level attached, and with suitable screws, etc., for accurate adjustment, the whole mounted on a tripod, for use in leveling; -- called also {leveling instrument}.
{Water level}, an instrument to show the level by means of the surface of water in a trough, or in upright tubes connected by a pipe.
Level \Lev"el\ (l[e^]v"[e^]l), a. 1. Even; flat; having no part higher than another; having, or conforming to, the curvature which belongs to the undisturbed liquid parts of the earth's surface; as, a level field; level ground; the level surface of a pond or lake.
Ample spaces o'er the smooth And level pavement. --Milton.
2. Coinciding or parallel with the plane of the horizon; horizontal; as, the telescope is now level.
3. Even with anything else; of the same height; on the same line or plane; on the same footing; of equal importance; -- followed by with, sometimes by to.
Young boys and girls Are level now with men; the odds is gone. --Shak.
Everything lies level to our wish. --Shak.
4. Straightforward; direct; clear; open.
A very plain and level account. --M. Arnold.
5. Well balanced; even; just; steady; impartial; as, a level head; a level understanding. [Colloq.] `` A level consideration.'' --Shak.
6. (Phonetics) Of even tone; without rising or falling inflection. --H. Sweet.
{Level line} (Shipbuilding), the outline of a section which is horizontal crosswise, and parallel with the rabbet of the keel lengthwise.
{Level surface} (Physics), an equipotential surface at right angles at every point to the lines of force.
Level \Lev"el\, v. i. 1. To be level; to be on a level with, or on an equality with, something; hence, to accord; to agree; to suit. [Obs.]
With such accommodation and besort As levels with her breeding. --Shak.
2. To aim a gun, spear, etc., horizontally; hence, to aim or point a weapon in direct line with the mark; fig., to direct the eye, mind, or effort, directly to an object; as, he leveled a gun at the bandit and fired.
The foeman may with as great aim level at the edge of a penknife. --Shak.
The glory of God and the good of his church . . . ought to be the mark whereat we also level. --Hooker.
She leveled at our purposes. --Shak.
Level \Lev"el\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Leveled} (-[e^]ld) or {Levelled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Leveling} or {Levelling}.] 1. To make level; to make horizontal; to bring to the condition of a level line or surface; hence, to make flat or even; as, to level a road, a walk, or a garden.
2. To bring to a lower level; to overthrow; to topple down; to reduce to a flat surface; to lower.
And their proud structures level with the ground. --Sandys.
He levels mountains and he raises plains. --Dryden.
3. To bring to a horizontal position, as a gun; hence, to point in taking aim; to aim; to direct.
Bertram de Gordon, standing on the castle wall, leveled a quarrel out of a crossbow. --Stow.
4. Figuratively, to bring to a common level or plane, in respect of rank, condition, character, privilege, etc.; as, to level all the ranks and conditions of men.
5. To adjust or adapt to a certain level; as, to level remarks to the capacity of children.
For all his mind on honor fixed is, To which he levels all his purposes. --Spenser.
Mr. Hoover expects industry revenue to grow 19% annually, reaching a 1990 level more than double last year's estimated $6 billion.
The yield on 30-year Treasury bonds fell to 8.54%, the lowest level since mid-July of last year and down from 9 1/8% as recently as about two weeks ago.
Polish living standards dropped sharply in the early 1980s and still have not climbed back to the level of a decade ago.
London could win but it requires a level of unity and co-operation which has not been seen in recent years." 'My sentiments entirely,' said the sports minister.
AEL Industries Inc. said it expects its fiscal 1988 earnings to be "fairly level" with those of the prior year.
He proposed to have the Communist Party officials at every level stand for election.
Yet, even in these 'hot' spots, the level of radon can vary greatly between one house and its neighbour.
The November contract fell as low as $5.89 a bushel, its lowest level since Aug. 3, before bouncing back late in the session.
Only if we adopt a very low level indeed.
To keep the brain happy, the body orchestrates all its efforts to deliver the proper level of glucose to the brain.
And because costs in the dump business are mostly fixed, additional volume after a certain level is almost entirely profit.
Its stake in Trafalgar House is viewed by many as another astute move. But as the group's percentage of earnings from Hong Kong declines, so will the level of its influence.
That level was briefly exceeded yesterday as the market continued to defy bearish fundamentals and shrugged off a further rise in exchange warehouse stocks to a nine-year high.
The yield advantage of mortgage issues above Treasurys has moved to the narrowest level since March 1987.
A decline in the dollar's exchange value can raise the relative prices of imports and cause a higher price level just as a crop failure can.
Manager Sid Seidenberg said King, 64, was admitted Friday to Valley Hospital, where doctors were concerned about King's blood sugar level and suggested the hospitalization for further tests.
Although the country has made significant progress by increasing the number of telephone lines for every 100 inhabitants from 20 to 34 over the past decade, that is still the lowest level in the EU.
After five years of community education, Farquhar said, the average plasma cholesterol level among residents in Salinas and Monterey was 2 percent below that of people in Modesto and San Luis Obispo, which were used for comparison.
There will be new challenges for NATO, as the level of concern about armed conflict reduces.
The new ceiling is 1 million barrels per day higher than the current level but below the estimated daily output in recent weeks of about 21 million barrels.
However, the chips only provide the heart of the system, so other components are needed to actually incorporate mulitimedia into computers, boosting the price to the expected $1,000 level.
Instead, many in the movement are pinning their hopes on attempts to reawaken consumer sentiment at the grass-roots level.
"Our level of confidence will drive how big a bet we'll make," says Kenneth Gregory, a principal in the firm.
That increase brought the number of discouraged workers to its highest level since the end of 1988.
The EC contends that as long as the "global" level of subsidies is reduced, some increases should be allowed.
Richard Loewy, president of AgResource Co., Chicago, said some analysts and speculators had predicted that the early-August dry spell would trim yields sharply below the level actually estimated in the government's September report.
The CED finds still another reason to worry about the level of portfolio investments by foreigners.
Small investors should pick specialized stocks with strong earnings potential and hope that the dollar won't fall much lower than its recent level around 1.82 marks, analysts say.
Building permits, considered a good sign of future activity, fell 8.2 percent in January to an annual rate of 1.25 million units, the lowest level for permits since January 1985.
"Sales of floating stocks will be according to our provisional production level," Mr. Aghazadeh said.