Leve, v. i. To live. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Leve, v. t. [OE., fr. AS. lfan, abbrev. fr. gelfan. See Believe.] To
believe. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Leve, v. t. [OE. leven, AS. lfan, lfan. See Leave permission.] To
grant; -- used esp. in exclamations or prayers followed by a dependent
clause. [Obs.]
God leve all be well.
Chaucer.
Lev"ee (lv"; often lv*" in U. S.), n. [F. lever, fr. lever to raise, se
lever to rise. See Lever, n.] 1. The act of rising. " The sun's levee."
Gray.
2. A morning assembly or reception of visitors, -- in distinction from
a soirée, or evening assembly; a matinée; hence, also, any general or
somewhat miscellaneous gathering of guests, whether in the daytime or
evening; as, the president's levee.
In England a ceremonious day reception, when attended by both ladies
and gentlemen, is called a drawing-room.
Lev"ee, v. t. To attend the levee or levees of.
He levees all the great.
Young.
Lev"ee, n. [F. levée, fr. lever to raise. See Lever, and cf. Levy.] An
embankment to prevent inundation; as, the levees along the Mississippi;
sometimes, the steep bank of a river. [U. S.]
Lev"ee, v. t. To keep within a channel by means of levees; as, to levee
a river. [U. S.]
||Le*vée" en` masse" (le*v" äN` ms"). [F.] See Levy in mass, under
||Levy, n.
||
Leve"ful (lv"fl), a. [Leve, n. + -ful.] Allowable; permissible; lawful.
[Obs.] Chaucer.
Lev"el (lv"l), n. [OE. level, livel, OF. livel, F. niveau, fr. L.
libella level, water level, a plumb level, dim. of libra pound, measure
for liquids, balance, water poise, level. Cf. Librate, Libella.] 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. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. (Mech. & Surv.) (a) An instrument by which to find a horizontal
line, or adjust something with reference to a horizontal line. (b) A
measurement of the difference of altitude of two points, by means of a
level; as, to take a level.