level

LEV'EL, a. [Eng. sleek. L. libella, libra, belong to the root.]

1. Horizontal; coinciding with the plane of the horizon. To be perfectly level is to be exactly horizontal.

2. Even; flat; not having one part higher than another; not ascending or descending; as a level plain or field; level ground; a level floor or pavement. In common usage, level is often applied to surfaces that are not perfectly horizontal, but which have no inequalities of magnitude.

3. Even with any thing else; of the same height; on the same line or plane.

4. Equal in rank or degree; having no degree of superiority.

Be level in preferments, and you will soon be level in your learning.

LEV'EL, v.t.

1. To make horizontal.

2. To make even; to reduce or remove inequalities of surface in any thing; as, to level a road or walk.

3. To reduce or bring to the same height with something else.

And their proud structures level with the ground.

4. To lay flat; to reduce to an even surface or plain.

he levels mountains, and he raises plains.

5. To reduce to equality of condition, state or degree; as, to level all ranks and degrees of men.

6. To point, in taking aim; to elevate or depress so as to direct a missile weapon to an object; to aim; as, to level a cannon or musket.

7. To aim; to direct; as severe remarks leveled at the vices and follies of the age.

8. To suit; to proportion; as, to level observations to the capacity of children.

LEV'EL, v.i.

1. To accord; to agree; to suit. [Little used.]

2. To aim at; to point a gun or an arrow to the mark.

3. To aim at; to direct the view or purpose.

The glory of God and the good of his church, ought to be the mark at which we level.

4. To be aimed; to be in the same direction with the mark.

He raised it till he level'd right.

5. To aim; to make attempts.

Ambitious York did level at thy crown.

6. To conjecture; to attempt to guess. [Not used.]

LEV'EL, n.

1. A horizontal line, or a plane; a surface without inequalities.

2. Rate; standard; usual elevation; customary height; as the ordinary level of the world.

3. Equal elevation with something else; a state of equality.

Providence, for the most part, sets us on a level.

4. The line of direction in which a missile weapon is aimed.

5. An instrument in mechanics by which to find or draw a horizontal line, as in setting buildings, or in making canals and drains. The instruments for these purposes are various; as the air level, the carpenter's level, the mason's level, and the gunner's level.

6. Rule; plan; scheme: borrowed from the mechanic's level.

Be the fair level of thy actions laid. -