1. C 水平线，水平面；水平高度　 line or surface parallel to the horizon, especially with reference to its height
2. C 数量，强度　 position on a scale of quantity, strength, value, etc.
3. U 水平，等级　 relative position in rank, class or authority

　level　用作名词时，其基本意思是“水平线，水平面”，尤指“水平高度”，也可指建筑物、岩石等的“层”;用于比喻时，可指观察事物的“层面”或“角度”，在科技用语中也可指测量的“数量”“强度”“数值”等。引申可表示官阶、权威、教学、质量、价格等方面的“等级”或“水平”。其复数可表示“平原”。

　catch up with ～　追赶…水平
　destroy ～　破坏平衡
　find one's own ～　找到相称的位置
　lift the ～　提高水平
　mark a ～　标志水平
　raise the ～　提高水平
　reach a ～ of　达到…水平
　reduce to ～ of　减到…水平
　seek one's (own) ～　找到相称的位置
　sink to ～ of　落到…水平
　take a ～　作水准测量
　touch a ～　达到水平
　average ～　一般水平，平均水平
　early ～　初级阶段
　general ～　一般水平，总的水平
　high ～　高水平
　international ～　国际水准
　low ～　低水平
　mental ～　智力水平
　ordinary ～　普通水平
　the national ～　国家水准
　the same ～　同一水平
　top ～　高层次
　usual ～　通常的水平
　various ～　各种水平
　college ～　大学水平
　energy ～　能量级
　eye ～　齐眼的高度
　ground ～　地平面
　high school ～　高中水平
　sea ～　海平面
　state ～　〈美〉州级水准
　water ～　水平面
　world ～　世界水平
　above ～　高于…水平
　at a ～　在某一水准
　the government at all ～　各级政府机关
　at the same ～　在同一水平上
　on a ～ with　与…相等，和…同一水准
　on the ～　在平地上，公平，不耍花招
　～ of a gun　瞄准线
　all ～ of society　社会各阶层
　～ of the lake　湖面
　～ of the sea　海平面

　The top of this mountain is 4000 metres above the sea level.　这座山高度为海拔4000米。
　The river often rises above the normal level.　河水经常高出正常水位。
　The mercury in those two thermometres is on the same level.　那两个温度计里的水银柱的高度一样。
　The car is parked on the lower level of garage.　汽车停放在车库的下层。
　The garden is arranged on two levels.　花园的布局分高低两层。
　A squadron of bombers are flying above the level of clouds.　一中队轰炸机在云层上面飞行。
　The archaeologists discovered fossils in the lowest level of rock.　考古学家在岩石的最底层发现了一些化石。
　They found some gold coins and mummies in the lowest level of the site.　他们在发掘现场的最下层找到一些金币和几具木乃伊。
　On a purely practical level there will be an awful lot of work to do.　纯粹从实际角度考虑，有大量的工作要做。
　They are determining the serum-protein and cholesterol levels.　他们正在测定血清蛋白和胆固醇的浓度。
　Levels of unemployment vary from region to region.　失业状况因地区而异。
　We are afraid that Helen will bring Simon down to her own level.　我们担心海伦会使西蒙落到她那样的地步。
　These decisions were made well below the level of top management.　这些决定是由级别远远低于最高管理层的人员作出的。
　Her work is not up to a professional level.　她的工作没有达到专业水平。
　They will be examined as to their present educational level.　要考一考他们现在的文化水平。
　The general level of the troop training was not high.　部队训练的总体水平不高。
　The level of the political debate is very poor.　这种政治辩论的水平很差。
　We must raise the moral and intellectual level of the people.　我们必须提高人民的道德和知识水准。
　Prices have held the same level for a month.　价格一直维持同等水平达一月之久。

 ♣ find one's own level
　找到与自己相称的位置　find and associate with the people with whom one is morally, socially or intellectually equal
　She should find her own level.　她应当找到与自己相称的位置。

 ♣ do one's level best, do one's best
　这两个短语都有“尽力”的意思，它们之间的差别在于程度不同：前者较后者更加尽力，即“竭尽全力”。试比较：
　
 ♣ on a level, on the level
　这两个短语仅一个冠词之差，意思完全不同：前者的意思是“在同等的水平线上”或“处于同等地位”，常与with连用；后者的意思是“真诚地”或“诚实地”，常用于口语中。例如：
　The ground floor of our house is on a level with the street.　我家房子的底层与街面一样高。
　Technically, both players are on a level.　双方运动员在技术方面不相上下。
　Is his offer on the level?　他的提议真诚吗?
　Although he got rich very quickly he did it completely on the level.　他虽然很快致富，但靠的完全是正当手段。
　注意on the level也可表示“在平地上”。例如：
　He could run fast on the level.　在平地上他能跑得很快。

　我因英语水平低而感到惭愧。
　［误］ I'm ashamed of my low English level.
　［正］ I'm ashamed of my poor English.
　［析］ 把“英语水平低”译作low English level是汉语式英语，正确的翻译应该是poor English.

1. 平的，水平的，平坦的　 having a surface which is the same height above the ground all over
2. 同高度的；同程度的　 equal in position or standard
3. 平稳的，坚定的　 steady and unvarying
4. 清醒的，冷静的　 clean-headed;sane

　～ crossing　平交道口
　～ gauge　水准仪
　～ ground　平地
　～ head　稳健清晰的头脑
　～ land　平地
　～ plain　平原
　～ race　势均力敌的赛跑
　draw ～　扳平
　fairly ～　相当平坦
　quite ～　十分平坦
　～ with　同…相平
　～ with the street　同街面一样高

　The city spread out on a level terrain.　城市向平坦的地带扩展。
　The prairies are vast stretches of nearly level land.　这些大草原是一大片一大片较为平坦的土地。
　Those low and level landscapes are characteristic of the continent as a whole.　总的说来那低洼平坦的地势是本大洲的特色。
　He went over from low level class to high level class.　他从低年级跳到高年级。
　She gave me a level look.　她平静地看了我一眼。
　He has a level head and is good at solving difficult problems.　他头脑冷静，善于处理难题。
　He kept a level head through the whole incident.　在整个事件中，他始终保持镇静。
　The floor is quite level.　这地板很平。
　The top of the mountain is level.　这山顶很平坦。
　A football field needs to be level.　足球场必须平坦。
　Even though he was getting angry, his voice remained level.　即使他非常生气，他的声音仍保持稳定。
　They were level in the race till the last few metres, then Haas went ahead to win.　他们一直跑得不分前后，但离终点最后几米时，哈斯冲到前面，赢得了胜利。
　The tree top is level with the roof.　树梢和屋顶一样高。
　The child's head is level with his father's knee.　孩子的头与他父亲的膝相齐。
　In spring the river's surface is often level with the banks.　在春天，河水常常涨到与河岸一样高。
　Brooks is level with Imes in class.　布鲁克斯在班里和艾姆斯程度相同。
　She attempts no work that is not level with her capacities.　她并不想干她力不能及的工作。
　These children want to be level with adults.　这些孩子要与大人们平起平坐。
　Hold the dish level.　把盘子端平。

 ♣ draw level
　势均力敌，打成平手　be evenly matched in strength;be in equilibrium
　She succeeded in drawing level with her opponent at two games each.　两场比赛她都和对手打成了平局。

 ♣ level, flat
　参见flat条。

1. vt.使平（坦）;变平　 make or become level or flat
2. vt.使…成平面；变成平面　 bring or come into a horizontal plane

　～ the pitch　平整场地
　～ the road　平整道路
　～ continuously　不断地平整
　～ conveniently　方便地平整
　～ endlessly　无休止地平整
　～ exactly　恰好整平
　～ fairly　适当地平整
　～ roughly　粗略地整平
　～ smoothly　平整得很光滑
　～ tiresomely　令人疲倦地平整
　～ unevenly　整得不平
　～ uniformly　均匀地平整
　～ down　将…向下整平，使…向低水平下降
　～ off　将…弄平，使平稳
　～ out　平坦起来，达到平衡〔稳定〕，消除（差别等）
　～ up　向上填平，将（收入等）向上拉平
　～ a road up　把路填高
　～ up the prices　提高物价
　～ against　对（某人）提出控诉
　～ at　（用枪）瞄准，将…的矛头指向
　～ the rock into the hole　用杠杆把岩石撬进坑里
　～ to the ground　把…夷为平地
　～ with　和…一样高，向（某人）说实话

　The workers are leveling the road.　工人们正在平整道路。
　The bulldozer leveled the mount of earth.　推土机把土山推平。
　We levelled our cricket pitch last week.　上星期，我们平整了板球场地。
　His goal levelled the scores of the two teams.　他的进球把两队的得分拉平了。
　Death levels all man.　死亡使所有人归于平等。
　The ground had to be levelled before construction could be begun.　必须先平整地面才能开始施工。

 ♣ level against　(v.+prep.)
　对（某人）提出控诉　state a charge against (sb)
　They levelled an accusation against her.　他们对她提出起诉。
　A serious charge was levelled against the minister.　那位部长受到了严重指控。
　The thief was taken to the police station, where a charge of robbery was levelled against him.　那个小偷被带到警察局，在那里，他被指控犯了抢劫罪。
 ♣ level at　(v.+prep.)
1. （用枪）对准或瞄准 aim at (sb/sth) (with a gun)
　I saw a man leveling a gun at a crow.　我看见一个人正用枪瞄准一只乌鸦。
　He leveled his gun at me.　他把枪对准我。
2. 将…的矛头指向（某人） direct (sth such as opposition) towards (sb)
　〔说明〕 level at作此解时通常不用于进行体。
　The speaker levelled his remarks at the headmaster.　发言人的评论是冲着校长来的。
 ♣ level down　(v.+adv.)
1. 将…向下整平 low (sth) down
　That path is too high;level it down from there.　那条小路太高了，从这儿把它削下去。
2. 使…向低水平下降 low (sth such as incomes) to an equal level
　The high rate of income tax has only succeeded in levelling down the incomes of the rich to those of the poor, with no advantage to the latter.　征收高额所得税只是有效地把富人的收入向穷人收入的水平降了下来，而对穷人却毫无益处。
 ♣ level off　(v.+adv.)
1. 将…弄平，使平整 make (a surface) flat or smooth
　Level off the shelves with a spirit level.　用水平仪把架子弄平。
　When the house was built, the garden had to be levelled off with a big earth-moving machine.　建房时得用大型推土机把园子推平。
2. 变平稳；变稳定 become level, flat or at a steady rate
　On reaching 1000 metres, the pilot levelled off.　到达1000米高度时，驾驶员便做水平飞行。
　After going up for six months, the cost of living levelled off in September.　生活费用上涨了6个月以后于9月份稳定下来。
 ♣ level out　(v.+adv.)
1. 平坦起来 make (a surface) flat or smooth
　East of the gorge leveled out.　峡谷东面地势变平坦了。
　The steam-roller levelled out the gravel roadbed and then the concrete was poured.　蒸汽压路机把砾石路基压平后浇灌了混凝土。
2. 达到平衡〔稳定〕 reach a point in one's career beyond which no further progress is likely
　You are unlikely to get further promotion—we all have to level out some time.　你大概不会再被提升了——我们的事业都会达到不再发展的地步。
3. 消除（差别等） make (sth such as difference) equal
　The tax system is extended to level out the big differences between rich and poor.　这个税法旨在消除贫富间的差距。
 ♣ level up　(v.+adv.)
　将（收入等）向上拉平　raise (sth such as incomes) to an equal level
　The idea of equal education was to level up the general standard.　教育平等的思想旨在提高大众的水平。
 ♣ level with　(v.+prep.)
1. 和…一样高 be as tall as sth
　Her masts levelled with the spires of churches.　船的桅杆和教堂的塔尖一样高。
2. 〈口〉向（某人）说实话 speak the truth to (sb)
　Come on, you can trust me—level with me, what's the truth?　说吧，你可以信赖我——把实情讲出来，到底是怎么回事儿。

 ♣ level, aim, point, train
　参见aim条。

　［同义词］ adj. flat, horizontal, plane, smooth;equal, equivalent, even, uniform v. equalize, even, smooth;demolish, destroy, flatten, raze
　［词源］　古法语livel<拉丁语libella（天平）