level
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- horizontal, flat
- even, consistent, plain, smooth, uniform
- equal, balanced, commensurate, comparable, equivalent, even, neck and neck, on a par, proportionate
[verb]
Synonyms:
- flatten, even off or out, plane, smooth
- equalize, balance, even up
- raze, bulldoze, demolish, destroy, devastate, flatten, knock down, pull down, tear down
- direct, aim, focus, point, train
[noun]
Synonyms:
- position, achievement, degree, grade, rank, stage, standard, standing, status
- on the level: honest, above board, fair, genuine, square, straight

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Contrasted words: bumpy, irregular, lumpy, uneven, unaligned, unparallel, changing, varying, fluctuating, rolling, swaying, undulating, coarse, rough
Related Words: akin, alike, identical, like, parallel, similar, uniform, aligned, regular, equal, equivalent, same

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English Thesaurus: amount, quantity, volume, level, proportion, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. lev‧el¹ S1 W1 /ˈlevəl/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: 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:
Inflation fell to its lowest level in 30 years.
level of
Increased supplies are needed to meet the level of demand.
Dolphins show a high level of intelligence.

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. be on the level informal to be honest and legal:
This is all on the level, right?

9. 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.

10. TOOL a tool used for checking that a surface is flat Synonym : spirit-level

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. level² S1 W2 adjective

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) British English 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. 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.

4. do your level best (to do something) to try as hard as possible to do something:
I’ll do my level best to help you.

5. level voice/look/gaze a steady voice, look etc that shows you are calm or determined

6. level teaspoon/cup etc (of something) an amount of a substance that fills a spoon, cup etc to the top but no more, used as a measure in cooking ⇒ heaped:
Add one level teaspoon of salt. ⇒ draw level at draw¹(11)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

III. level³ verb (past tense and past participle levelled, present participle levelling British English, leveled, leveling American English)

1. [transitive] (also level something ↔ 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. [transitive] to knock down or destroy a building or area completely:
Bombs levelled a large part of the town.

3. [intransitive and transitive] British English 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 the playing field to make a situation in which people are competing fair, with no one having special advantages

5. level criticism/charges/accusations etc at/against somebody 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 something at somebody/something phrasal verb
to aim something such as a weapon at someone or something:
Slowly he levelled his gun at the tiger.
level off/out phrasal verb

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 something ↔ off/out to make something flat and smooth
level with somebody phrasal verb informal
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(8)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

level
adj.
I. with no part higher than any other
VERBS be, look, seem | get sth, keep sth Make sure you get the shelf level before screwing it in. Keep the pot level, or you'll spill the coffee.
ADV. absolutely, completely The floor has got to be absolutely level.
approximately, more or less

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

level
II. at the same height/position as sth
VERBS be | come, draw As they reached the final bend, Graham drew level and threatened too overtake him.
ADV. almost
PREP. with The top of the water came level with her chin.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

level
noun
I. amount/size/number
ADJ. high, record, significant, substantial Industrial output has reached record levels.
increasing, rising | excessive Excessive levels of lead were found in the water.
low | decreasing, falling | varying keen amateurs who work hard, with varying levels of success
generous a generous level of financial support for the arts
permitted, recommended, required permitted levels of chemical pollutants
acceptable, adequate, necessary, normal, realistic, reasonable, safe an acceptable level of risk Her blood pressure has returned to its normal level.
dangerous, unacceptable | worst the worst level of business failure since 1997
noise, pollution, radiation | crime | blood-sugar, cholesterol, hormone, etc. | stress
VERB + LEVEL achieve, reach They have achieved higher levels of efficiency. Crime has reached its highest level ever.
remain at She predicts that fuel prices will remain at current levels.
improve, increase, raise | maintain | bring down, control, decrease, keep down, lower, reduce | change | set Emissions are well below the levels set by the World Health Authority.
exceed There will be stiff penalties if companies exceed these levels of pollution.
LEVEL + VERB go up, rise, soar | fall, go down, plummet | change, vary
PREP. above a/the ~ Mortgage rates were 10% above their current level.
at a/the ~ Rents will be kept at this level for another year.
below a/the ~ Radiation is well below the permitted level.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

level
II. stage of progress/standard
ADJ. basic, elementary, low The teaching is at quite a basic level.
entry They have a good range of entry-level computers for beginners.
intermediate | advanced, high Her illness has reached an advanced level.
degree | difficulty The difficulty level of the exercises in the book varies widely.
fitness a sport suitable for people of all fitness levels
VERB + LEVEL attain, reach students who have reached the intermediate level
complete, do, take You need to do all three levels to qualify as a canteen supervisor.
PREP. above a/the ~ His English is way above the level of the other students.
at a/the ~ students at intermediate level She has played tennis at a high level.
below a/the ~ The book is not suitable for students below degree level.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

level
III. grade in an organization or structure
ADJ. high, upper the upper levels of the civil service
low | senior | global, international, local, national, regional | grass-roots The party needs to win support at grass-roots level.
ministerial | board These decisions are made at board level.
VERB + LEVEL reach, rise to He rose to the level of general manager.
PREP. at a/the ~ At the local level there's a lot to be said for the plan.
on a/the ~ The thing has got to be organized on an international level.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

level
IV. way of considering sth
ADJ. conscious, unconscious At a conscious level, I was quite satisfied with my life.
deep | superficial | detailed We probably need to look at this problem at a more detailed level.
general | practical | theoretical | political
PREP. at a/the ~, on a/the ~ On a superficial level everything appears to be in order, but at a deeper level you an see that there's a lot wrong.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

level
V. height
ADJ. high, low | ground, sea, water the problem of rising sea levels
eye a shelf at eye level
VERB + LEVEL adjust, change, lower, raise They are going to raise the level of the banks to prevent flooding.
PREP. above a/the ~ 200m above sea level
at a/the ~ The plane was flying at a very low level.
below a/the ~ below the level of the cloud
on a ~ with On the second floor you are on a level with the treetops.
to a/the ~ The water rose to the level of the ground floor windows.
PHRASES a change in/of level

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

level
VI. floor in a building
ADJ. ground, lower | higher, top, upper
PREP. on a/the ~ Are we on the right level for the restaurant?
to a/the ~ Take the lift to Level Four.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

level

high
The level of salt in his diet was too high.
low
The level of violent crime is lower than ten years ago.
a record level (=the highest ever level)
Sales have reached record levels.
noise/pollution levels
Noise levels are unacceptably high.
price/income/wage levels
Wage levels had failed to keep up with inflation.
stress level
I find exercise helps with my stress levels.
energy/fitness level
Her fitness level is better than that of most 20-year-olds.
a level rises/goes up/increases
The level of unemployment has increased.
a level falls/goes down/decreases
Pollution levels have fallen slightly.
achieve/reach a level
China’s imports of wheat reached record levels.
remain/stay at a level
The fees are likely to remain at current levels.
maintain a level
It's difficult to maintain the same level of physical fitness.
increase a level
Healthy eating can increase your energy level.
reduce a level
He made an effort to reduce his stress levels.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

level
noun
1.
BAD: These courses are taught in postgraduate level.
GOOD: These courses are taught at postgraduate level.
BAD: The volume of the radio should be kept in a low level.
GOOD: The volume of the radio should be kept at a low level.

Usage Note:
at a particular level (NOT in ) = having a particular degree of intensity, power, proficiency etc: 'Students at this level need individual tuition.' 'Talks are being held at the highest level.'
Compare: 'James likes school. He's now in Level 3.' (= in a class at Level 3)

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2.
BAD: People in developed countries have a higher level of living.
GOOD: People in developed countries have a higher standard of living.

Usage Note:
When you are talking about the quality of something, the usual word is standard : 'All his work is of a very high standard.' 'Our company accepts only the highest standards of workmanship.'

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3.
BAD: What will we do if the sea level continues to increase?
GOOD: What will we do if the sea level continues to rise?

Usage Note:
See note at INCREASE 2 (increase)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

amount how much of something there is:
Try to reduce the amount of fat in your diet.
a tiny amount of poison
quantity a particular amount of food, liquid, or another substance that can be measured – used especially in written descriptions and instructions:
Make sure that you add the right quantity of milk.
They buy the wood in large quantities.
volume the amount of something such as business activity or traffic, especially when this is large or increasing:
The volume of traffic on our roads has risen sharply.
the huge volume of trade with China
level the exact amount of something at one time, which can go up or down at other times:
They measured the level of alcohol in his blood.
There is a high level of unemployment.
proportion the amount of something, compared with the whole amount that exists:
the proportion of road accidents caused by drunk drivers
A high proportion of the students were from poor families.
quota a maximum amount of something that can be produced, sold, brought into a country etc:
import quotas on Japanese cars
yield /jiːld/ the amount of something that is produced, especially crops:
this year’s cotton yield
flat on one level, without any holes or raised areas, and not sloping or curving:
a flat roof
a flat screen
Before you lay the tiles, make sure that the ground is completely flat.
smooth without any holes or raised areas – used especially when saying how something feels when you touch it:
her lovely smooth skin
I ran my hand across the animal’s smooth fur.
even without any holes or raised areas:
Apply the paint to an even surface.
Be careful – the path is not very even here.
horizontal going straight across and not sloping:
a horizontal line
Raise both arms to a horizontal position.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

flat on one level, without any holes or raised areas, and not sloping or curving:
a flat roof
a flat screen
Before you lay the tiles, make sure that the ground is completely flat.
level not sloping in any direction, so that every part is at the same height:
Is the top of this picture level?
After four hours coming down the mountain, I was glad to be back on level ground.
smooth without any holes or raised areas – used especially when saying how something feels when you touch it:
her lovely smooth skin
I ran my hand across the animal’s smooth fur.
even without any holes or raised areas:
Apply the paint to an even surface.
Be careful – the path is not very even here.
horizontal going straight across and not sloping:
a horizontal line
Raise both arms to a horizontal position.
small
The flat was too small for the three of them.
big/spacious
It was a big flat with eight or nine rooms.
cramped/poky (=too small and not comfortable)
She spends most days shut up in a poky flat looking after her disabled Mum.
a one-bedroom/two-bedroom etc flat
She lived in a one-bedroom flat in Clapham.
a one-room/two-room etc flat
Their home is a humble two-room flat.
a ground-floor/first-floor/second-floor etc flat
We’re moving into a first-floor flat.
a basement flat (=a flat that is below ground level)
They lived in a basement flat in South London.
a studio flat (=with one main room)
I might just be able to afford a tiny studio flat.
high-rise flats (=flats in a very tall building)
Many high-rise flats were built in the 1970s.
a rented flat
He returned to his rented flat in Cheltenham.
a luxury flat
Laura shares a luxury flat with her sister Chloe.
a self-contained flat (=a flat with its own kitchen and bathroom)
We rented a self-contained flat in the city centre.
a furnished/unfurnished flat (=a rented flat that does or does not have furniture)
She found a job and a furnished flat.
a holiday flat
The building has been converted into three holiday flats.
a block of flats (=a large building divided into separate flats)
At the time, I lived in a block of flats in St John’s Wood.
live in a flat
Terry lived in a flat on the second floor.
buy a flat
I had planned to buy a flat with Geraldine.
rent a flat
Renting a flat can be very expensive in this part of town.
move into a flat
They move into their new flat next week.
own a flat
The couple own their own flat in Peebles.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

level
ˈlevl
See: on the level

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲