level

lev|el¹ W1S1 [ˈlevəl] n

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1¦(amount)¦

2¦(standard)¦

3¦(height)¦

4¦(floor/ground)¦

5¦(rank of job)¦

6¦(way of understanding)¦

7 at local/state/national etc level

8 a level playing field

9 be on the level

10 descend/sink to somebody's level

11¦(tool)¦

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[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: livel, from Latin libella, from libra 'weight, balance']

1.) ¦(AMOUNT)¦

the amount or degree of something, compared to another amount or degree

level of

▪ Increased supplies are needed to meet the level of demand.

high/low level

▪ Dolphins show a high level of intelligence.

▪ Inflation dropped to its lowest level in 30 years.

▪ At the moment, public interest is at a high level .

price/income etc levels

▪ the high salary levels of top executives

▪ Special attention was paid to minimising noise levels .

▪ Try to reduce your stress levels .

▪ the downward trend in annual pollution levels

2.) ¦(STANDARD)¦

a particular standard of skill or ability, for example in education or sport

at ... level

▪ Students at this level may have problems with basic grammar.

▪ What level do you think you're at?

beginner/advanced/national etc level

▪ Few athletes can compete at international level.

▪ an advanced-level coursebook

→↑A level

3.) ¦(HEIGHT)¦

the height of something in relation to the ground or to another object

at ... level

▪ Your arms should be at the same level as your desk.

eye/knee/shoulder etc level

(=the same height as your eyes etc)

▪ Skirts this year are just above knee level.

water/oil etc level

(=the height of the water etc from the ground or the bottom of a container)

▪ Check the water level in the car radiator.

→↑ground level, ↑sea level

4.) ¦(FLOOR/GROUND)¦

a floor or area of ground that is at a particular height, especially when you can go up or down to other floors or areas

on ... level

▪ Didn't we park the car on Level 2?

▪ The town is built on different levels.

▪ The medical center is on one level (=so that you do not have to go up or down) .

→↑split-level

5.) ¦(RANK OF JOB)¦

a particular position in a system that has different ranks of importance

at ... level

▪ Training is offered at each level in the department.

at board/management/senior etc level

▪ Further talks at ministerial level were held.

→↑high-level, ↑low-level

6.) ¦(WAY OF UNDERSTANDING)¦

a way of considering or understanding something

on ... level

▪ The story can be understood on many different levels.

on a personal/practical/superficial etc level

▪ I agree with you, but only on a theoretical level.

7.) at local/state/national etc level

happening within a small area or the whole area of a state, country etc

▪ These changes are taking place at regional level.

8.) a level playing field

a situation in which different people, companies, countries, etc can all compete fairly because no one has special advantages

▪ Small businesses want to compete on a level playing field with larger ones.

9.) be on the level informal

to be honest and legal

▪ This is all on the level, right?

10.) descend/sink to sb's level

to behave as badly as someone

▪ If you hit him back, you'll only be descending to his level.

11.) ¦(TOOL)¦

a tool used for checking that a surface is flat

= ↑spirit-level

level ²

level² W2S1 adj

1.) flat and not sloping in any direction

▪ The floors in the old house were not completely level.

▪ a level surface suitable for wheelchairs

2.)

a) two things that are level are at the same height as each other

level with

▪ Your eyes should be level with the top of the screen.

▪ The curtains aren't quite level.

b) BrE two sports teams, competitors etc that are level have the same number of points

level with

▪ Before the weekend, Madrid was level with Barcelona.

▪ They finished level , with ten points each.

→↑level-pegging

c) having the same value or position as something or someone else

level with

▪ Borrowing rates rose to over 8%, roughly level with those in America.

▪ He cycled along beside her, keeping level.

3.) do your level best (to do sth)

to try as hard as possible to do something

▪ I'll do my level best to help you.

4.) a level voice/look/gaze

a steady voice, look etc, that shows you are calm or determined

5.) level teaspoon/cup etc (of sth)

an amount of a substance that fills a spoon, cup etc to the top but no more, used as a measure in cooking

▪ Add one level teaspoon of salt.

→heaped teaspoon etc at ↑heaped

→draw level at ↑draw¹ (11)

level ³

level³ v past tense and past participle levelled present participle levelling BrE past tense and past participle leveled present participle leveling AmE

1.) [T] also level sth<=>off/out

to make something flat and smooth

▪ Workers leveled the wet concrete with a piece of wood.

▪ Cover with a layer of sand and level it off.

2.) [T]

to knock down or destroy a building or area completely

▪ Bombs levelled a large part of the town.

3.) [I and T] BrE

to make the score in a game or competition equal

▪ He slipped the ball into the net to level the score at 1/1.

▪ United went ahead but the visitors levelled in the 73rd minute.

4.) level criticism/charges/accusations etc at/against sb

to aim criticism etc at a particular person, country etc, especially publicly

▪ the criticism levelled at the United States

▪ Serious allegations were levelled against the minister.

level at / [level sth at sb/sth] phr v

to aim something such as a weapon at someone or something

▪ Slowly he levelled his gun at the tiger.

level off/out phr v

1.) to stop going up or down and continue at the same height

▪ After climbing steeply, the path levelled off.

▪ The plane levelled out at 30,000 feet.

2.) to stop rising or falling and become steady

▪ Inflation has begun to level off.

3.) level sth<=>off/out

to make something flat and smooth

level with [level with sb] phr v

to speak honestly to someone, after hiding some unpleasant facts from them

▪ She decided to level with him and tell him how she felt.

→be on the level at ↑level¹ (9)