# level

Pronunciation: say "LEV-uhl" /ˈlɛv.l̩/

## Noun

1. The degree or amount of something, such as a quality, feeling, or activity.
   - Simple: How much of something there is, or how strong it is.
   - _Stress levels among employees rose sharply during the merger._
   - _The level of detail in the report impressed the committee._
2. A stage or standard reached in education, work, a skill, or another activity, including a school grade or year.
   - Simple: A stage reached in learning, work, or another activity, including a school grade or year.
   - _He competed at the national level before turning professional._
   - _The job requires English at an advanced level._
3. A height or distance measured relative to a fixed reference elevation, such as the sea or the ground.
   - Simple: The height of something compared with a fixed point, such as the sea or the ground.
   - _Engineers monitored the reservoir's level throughout the dry season._
   - _Groundwater levels have dropped sharply across the region._
4. A floor or story of a building, especially one with several floors.
   - Simple: One floor of a building that has more than one floor.
   - _The food court is on the lower level of the mall._
   - _Her office moved up to the fifth level of the tower last spring._
5. One of the separate stages of a video game, usually growing harder as the player advances and set in a different part of the game world.
   - Simple: One part of a video game that you must finish before the next part.
   - _The ice level introduces slippery platforms that change how the character moves._
   - _Designers spent months balancing the game's later levels._
8. A tool used to check whether a surface is horizontal, or to mark a true horizontal or vertical reference line.
   - Simple: A tool that shows if a surface is flat or straight up and down.
   - _He set a level on the countertop and adjusted the cabinet legs until the bubble centered._
   - _A laser level projected a straight line across the wall for the tile installation._
9. A numeric value assigned to a game character or element, representing its power, challenge, or what it is eligible to do, and used to govern progression through the game.
   - Simple: A number in a game that shows how strong or skilled a character is.
   - _Her rogue reached level twenty after the long dungeon run._
   - _Enemies in that zone scale with the player's level._

## Adjective

6. Having a flat, even surface that is the same height at every point, parallel to flat ground.
   - Simple: Flat and even, with no part higher than another.
   - _The shelf isn't level, so everything slides to one side._
   - _The crew graded the lot until the ground was perfectly level._
11. At the same height as some point of reference; often used in the phrase level with.
   - Simple: At the same height as another thing, not higher or lower.
   - _The new deck sits level with the kitchen floor._
   - _Her eyes were level with his shoulder when they stood side by side._
12. Equal in position or rank with someone or something else.
   - Simple: Equal with another person or team in position, points, or rank.
   - _Both runners were level as they entered the final lap._
   - _The two companies are now level in market share after a decade of rivalry._
18. Calm, steady, and balanced in manner, temper, or judgment.
   - Simple: Calm and steady, not excited or unfair.
   - _Even as the crisis deepened, the manager stayed level and weighed each option with care._
   - _Despite the chaos around him, his gaze stayed level._
19. Straightforward and direct; plain and clear in manner or expression.
   - Simple: Clear and direct, without hiding anything or confusing people.
21. Of a sound or voice: steady and unvarying in pitch or volume.
   - Simple: Staying the same, not getting higher, lower, louder, or softer.
   - _Over the noise of the crowd, the announcer kept his voice level and even._
   - _In some languages a level tone on a syllable changes the word's meaning._

## Verb

7. To adjust something so that it is as flat, or as squarely upright, as possible.
   - Simple: To make a surface flat and even, or make something stand straight.
   - _Use the adjustable feet to level the washing machine._
   - _The crew leveled the site before pouring the foundation._
10. To progress to the next level, as a character or player does in a game.
   - Simple: To move up to the next level in a game.
   - _Her character leveled quickly thanks to the weekend experience boost._
   - _New players level fast in the starting zones._
13. To make the score of a game equal; to draw even with the opposing side.
   - Simple: To tie the score during a game.
   - _The visitors leveled in the final minute with a long-range shot._
   - _We can still level if we score on this possession._
14. To destroy a building or area completely by reducing it to the ground; to raze.
   - Simple: To destroy a building or place completely so that nothing is left standing.
   - _The earthquake leveled entire neighborhoods in seconds._
   - _The city plans to level the abandoned mill and build a park in its place._
15. To aim or direct something, such as a weapon, look, criticism, accusation, or penalty, at a person or target.
   - Simple: To point or aim something, like a gun, a look, or blame, at someone.
   - _He leveled the rifle at the target and waited for the signal._
   - _Critics level the same charge at every sequel the studio releases._
16. To speak honestly and openly with someone, usually in the phrase level with.
   - Simple: To be honest with someone and tell them the truth.
   - _The coach finally leveled with the team about their playoff chances._
   - _I'll level with you: the budget won't cover both projects._
17. To bring people or things to a common standing in rank, condition, character, or privilege.
   - Simple: To make people or things equal in rank, condition, or rights.
   - _Mandatory uniforms were meant to level the visible differences between wealthy and poor students._
   - _Death levels all ranks and fortunes._
20. To adjust or adapt something so that it matches a particular level or standard.
   - Simple: To change something so it fits a certain level or standard.
   - _Editors level the articles to suit readers at different stages of fluency._
   - _The engineer leveled the audio tracks so no song played louder than the rest._

## Other meanings

- (noun) One of the specific values that a categorical variable may take.
- (noun) The distance of a node from the root of a tree structure, counted in steps along the branches.
- (noun) An expanse of almost perfectly flat land, such as a drained marsh or plain.

## Origin

This word comes from Middle English 'level', from Old French 'livel' (later 'nivel', 'niveau'), from Latin 'libella', a diminutive of 'libra' meaning 'a balance, a level'. The verb comes from Middle English 'levelen', formed from the noun.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/level (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).