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

1. Horizontal; coinciding with the plane of the horizon. To be perfectly lord, 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 highth; 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 as level in your learning. – Bentley.

1. A horizontal line, or a plane; a surface without inequalities. – Hale.
2. Rate; standard; usual elevation; customary highth; as, the ordinary level of the world.
3. Equal elevation with something else; a state of equality. Providence, for the must part, sets us on a level. – Spectator.
4. The line of direction in which a missile weapon is aimed.
5. An instrument in mechanics by which to find or draw 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 mechanical level. Be the fair level of thy actions laid. – Prior.

1. To accord; to agree; to suit. [Little used.] Shak.
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. – Hooker.
4. To be aimed; to be in the same direction with the mark. He raised it till he level'd right. – Butler.
5. To aim; to make attempts. Ambitious York did level at thy crown. – Shak.
6. To conjecture; to attempt to guess. [Not used.] – Shak.

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 highth with something else. And their proud structures level with the ground. – Sandys.
4. To lay flat; to reduce to an even surface or plane. He levels mountains, and he raises plains. – Dryden.
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.

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. 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.

3. 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.
4. 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.

5. 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.
6. Coinciding or parallel with the plane of the horizon; horizontal; as, the telescope is now level.
7. 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.

8. 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.
   
   

   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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. Straightforward; direct; clear; open.
    
    

    A very plain and level account. M. Arnold.

14. 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.
15. 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.

16. Well balanced; even; just; steady; impartial; as, a level head; a level understanding. [Colloq.]
    
    
    " A level consideration." Shak.
17. 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.

18. An instrument by which to find a horizontal line, or adjust something with reference to a horizontal line.
    
    
    (b)
19. 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.

20. 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.