level

el nivel

nivelar

level(leh-vuhl)

noun

1. (height)

a. el nivel

(M)

If the water level increases, the dam is opened to prevent flooding.

Si aumenta el nivel del agua, se abre la presa para evitar inundaciones.

2. (degree)

a. el nivel

(M)

My level of Spanish has increased substantially since I moved to Costa Rica.

Mi nivel de español ha mejorado bastante desde que me mudé a Costa Rica.

3. (stage)

a. el nivel

(M)

I only have 12 levels left in Space Invaders before I beat the game.

Solo me quedan 12 niveles de Space Invaders antes de que gane el juego.

4. (rank)

a. el nivel

(M)

The corruption extends to the highest levels of the government.

La corrupción se extiende a los más altos niveles del gobierno.

5. (floor)

a. el piso

(M)

Take the elevator to the third level; my office is the second door on the right.

Toma el ascensor al tercer piso; mi oficina es la segunda puerta a la derecha.

6. (tool)

a. el nivel

(M)

Can I borrow a level to hang these frames?

¿Me puedes prestar un nivel para colgar estos cuadros?

adjective

7. (flat)

a. plano

Concrete should be poured on a level surface so that pools of water don't form.

El hormigón se debe verter sobre una superficie plana para que no se formen charcos de agua.

b. llano

Sand the wall with sandpaper until it is completely flat before painting it.

Lija la pared con papel de lija hasta que esté completamente llana antes de pintarla.

c. nivelado

If the first layer of a layer cake is not level, the whole cake could fall.

Si la primera capa de un pastel de varias capas no está nivelada, todo el pastel podría caerse.

8. (related to height or position)

a. a la misma altura

When at your desk, your eyes should be level with the top of your monitor.

Cuando estás en tu escritorio, tus ojos deben de estar a la misma altura que la parte superior del monitor.

b. empatado (sports)

The two teams are level after three quarters.

Los dos equipos están empatados después de tres cuartos.

9. (unexcited)

a. desapasionado

For an environmentalist, he has a level attitude about global warming.

Por ser un ambientalista, tiene una actitud desapasionada acerca del calentamiento global.

transitive verb

10. (to make flat)

a. nivelar

Level the petri dish better so I can get a good look at the sample.

Nivela la placa de petri más para que pueda mirar bien la prueba.

b. allanar

They leveled the backyard to prepare for the construction of the pool.

Allanaron el patio para preparar para la construcción de la piscina.

c. aplanar

You have to level the dough with a rolling pin until it's one inch thick.

Tienes que aplanar la masa con un rodillo hasta que tenga una pulgada de espesor.

11. (to raze)

a. arrasar

The twister leveled everything in its path.

El tornado arrasó todo lo que estaba en su paso.

12. (to make equal)

a. igualar

The government intends to level the economic differences between households within the country.

El gobierno tiene planes de igualar las diferencias económicas entre los hogares en el país.

13. (to direct)

a.

no direct translation

He kneeled down, leveled his gaze at her, and asked her to marry him.

Él se arrodilló, dirigió su mirada hacia ella y le pidió que se casará con él.

The thief froze when I leveled my gun at him.

El ladrón se quedó como una estatua cuando lo apunté con mi pistola.

intransitive verb

14. (to be honest)

(United States)

a.

no direct translation

Level with me. How did my presentation go?

Sé honesto conmigo. ¿Cómo fue mi presentación?

The doctor leveled with his patient and told him that his condition was serious.

El doctor fue franco con su paciente y le dijo que su estado de salud era grave.

level

Noun

1. (general)

a. el nivel

(M)

at eye levela la altura de los ojos

to be on a level withestar al mismo nivel or a la misma altura que

2. (colloquial)

a.

on the levelhonrado(a)

to come down to somebody's levelponerse al nivel de alguien

to sink to somebody's levelrebajarse al nivel de alguien

at ministerial/international levela nivel ministerial/internacional

adjective

3. (not sloping)

a. nivelado(a), liso(a), horizontal

4. (fig)

a.

a level playing fieldigualdad de condiciones

level with…a la altura de…

to draw level with…alcanzar, ponerse a la altura de

she did her level besthizo todo lo que estaba en su mano

the two parties are level pegginglos dos partidos están empatados

a level spoonfuluna cucharada rasa

5. (railroad) (United Kingdom)

a.

level crossingpaso a nivel

6. (voice, tone)

a. neutro(a), desapasionado(a)

to keep a level headmantener la cabeza fría

transitive verb

7. (make level)

(United States)

a. nivelar

8. (raze)

a. arrasar

9. (aim)

a.

to level a blow at somebodypropinar or asestar un golpe a alguien

to level criticism at somebodydirigir críticas a alguien

to level accusations at somebodylanzar acusaciones contra alguien

intransitive verb

10. (colloquial)

a.

to level with somebodyser franco(a) con alguien

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

level [ˈlevl]

adjective

1 (not sloping) nivelado; (not uneven) plano; llano

place on a level surface (not sloping) colocar en una superficie nivelada; (not uneven) colocar en una superficie plana or llana

the tray must be absolutely level Stand the frame upright on a level surface ...a plateau of fairly level ground the floor was level but the ceiling sloped

a level spoonful (Cookery) una cucharada rasa

stir in 1 level teaspoon(ful) of yeast

to compete on a level playing field competir en igualdad de condiciones

we can't compete on a level playing field while this goes on all we're asking for is a level playing field American businessmen ask for a level playing field when they compete with foreign companies The miners of this country are not asking for charity; they are asking for a level playing field for their product It is not a level playing field when your main rival is consulted before you

to do one's level best to do sth hacer todo lo posible para hacer algo

he was doing his level best to avoid meeting my eye We have done our level best to provide reliable information about this condition We will do our level best to keep him when his contract runs out in June The President told American troops that he would do his level best to bring them home soon

2 (at same height, position)

to be level (with sb) (in race) estar or ir igualado (con algn); (in league, competition) estar or ir empatado (con algn)

The sides are level at one victory each after four games the score is level at one win each with two draws

the teams were level at the end of extra time los equipos estaban or iban empatados al terminar la prórroga

to be level [with] sb/sth England was halfway up the league table, level with Scotland and Ireland Britain are level on points with New Zealand in the Cup table The cost of capital in Japan has risen to 5.6%, about level with America Existing home sales for April were roughly level with those of March and well above those of April of 1991

to be level (with sth) (at same height) estar a la misma altura (que algo); to be level with the ground estar a ras del suelo; she knelt down so that their eyes were level se agachó para que sus ojos estuvieran a la misma altura

Your shoulders need to be level and relaxed the top row of books was level with her head He leaned over the counter so his face was almost level with the boy's He had his hands in front of him, level with his chest. to [draw] level Coming towards me was a man and when we drew level, I smiled

to draw level with sth/sb especially (Britain) (gen, also in race) alcanzar algo/a algn; (in league, competition) empatar con algo/algn

When the car had pulled level with him, he had spoken into the lowered passenger window to be level with sb/sth There was a silver flash and suddenly the Mercedes was level with her He waited until they were level with the door before he pivoted around sharply and punched Graham hard on the side of the head Napoli have drawn level with AC Milan at the top of the Italian league

3 (steady) [+voice, tone] sereno; [+gaze] penetrante

she spoke in a level voice habló con voz serena; habló sin alterar la voz

Piercey's voice was level and cold He forced his voice to remain level He gave her a level look

to keep a level head no perder la cabeza

I still haven't found another job. I keep saying to myself, "If only you had behaved differently. If only you'd kept a level head

noun

1 (amount, degree) nivel (m)

we have the lowest level of inflation for some years tenemos el nivel de inflación más bajo que hemos tenido en varios años

the exercises are graded according to their level of difficulty los ejercicios están ordenados por nivel or grado de dificultad

bankruptcies have reached record levels el número de bancarrotas ha alcanzado cifras récord

level of unemployment índice (m) de paro

The official inquiry has strongly criticised the level of security at the base It was clear that they'd been shocked by the level of violence ...the rising level of crime Most water filtration systems offer a reasonable level of protection from lead ...the level of activity in the frontal section of the brain [high]/[low] levels of sth ...chronically high levels of unemployment It was found that schools that employed high levels of corporal punishment tended to have more discipline problems Cancer patients have repeatedly been shown to have low levels of vitamin C in blood and body tissues These foods have very low levels of fat Sales had dropped to a disastrously low level ...the company's very high level of efficiency concentrations of asbestos hundreds of times higher than the levels considered safe by industry unemployment has risen to levels previously considered unacceptable Children are often exposed to noise above levels considered safe for older people mammals keep their body temperature at a constant level... Try to consume foods that reduce cholesterol levels If you don't know your cholesterol level, it's a good idea to have it checked These exercises can make a marvellous difference to energy levels ...the hormones which are concerned with regulating blood sugar level Many doctors and natural therapists recommend calcium supplements when stress levels are high The noise levels were too high. The gauge relies upon a sensor in the tank to relay the fuel level

poverty

2 (height) nivel (m)

the water reached a level of ten metres el agua alcanzó un nivel de diez metros

water finds its own level the level [of] the lake continues to rise at roof level check the oil level

at eye level a la altura de los ojos

try to put up the posters at eye level so that they will be easily read the sweets are displayed at children's eye level above/below [ground] level all of the building is above ground level Although this area is below ground level, sloping windows provide plenty of light and ventilation 45 feet below street level, repairs are still going on Although the room's below floor level, passers-by on the pavement above can see in

to be on a level with sth estar al nivel or a la altura de algo

Rose perched on a stool so that her face was on a level with Lily's The tables were on a level with each other above/below [sea] level Liz sank down until the water came up to her chin and the bubbles were at eye level

ground sea

above/below the poverty level About one-quarter of the population is below the poverty level many people live far below subsistence levels

3 (floor) [of building] piso (m)

...an ornate wood-panelled cinema in the lower level of the Embassy building He looked up and around him at the galleries on the second level and at the ornate, three-storey-high ceiling I found my car in a corner of the second level

4 (rank, grade) nivel (m)

talks at ministerial level conversaciones (f) a nivel ministerial

pay should reflect performance at all levels, including board level chess at the very highest level remains outside the reach of computer programs at departmental level A bright seven-year-old might reach level three or possibly even four in some subjects Un niño o niña inteligente puede alcanzar el nivel tres en algunas asignaturas

at advanced/elementary level a nivel avanzado/elemental

...classes at elementary or university level

at local/national/international level a nivel local/nacional/internacional

On the international level, the process of recognition of the independence of the three republics appears to be gathering pace It is really up to cyclists at local level to get hold of their councillors and persuade them of the benefits of cycling They are playing a key role in identifying skill shortages at a local level They were both competitors at international level The governments of the two countries have been holding high-level talks aimed at improving relations ...only low-level people and clerks were involved [high-]/[intermediate-]/[low-]level radioactive waste level [of] consciousness The hypnotic state is a changed level of consciousness somewhere between being awake and being asleep ...the levels of meaning in Ira Gershwin's words

on one level por un lado; de cierta manera

That's true, on one level Imelda, on some level, was desperate on another level But, on another level. I think freedom of information is a very positive thing on [every] level So on every level it's difficult to perceive what's going on here He'd expected it to be a suitable marriage, on every level Michael's roommate had been pleasant on a superficial level The book is written on a number of different levels

to be on a level with estar a la altura de

some people put him on a level with von Karajan algunos lo equiparan con or a von Karajan

When I interview a king, I am on a level with the king His speed was impressive by any standards, almost on a level with Senna's or Mansell's instant picture-taking on a level with conventional photography ...the first public top-level meeting between the two countries since the border conflict ...plans for top-level talks with the United States

to come down to sb's level rebajarse al nivel de algn

the teacher came down to their ~ to find one's own level I'm not on his level at all

high-level low-level top-level

5 (flat place) llano (m)

on the level en superficie plana or llana

a car which can reach speeds of 300 miles per hour on the level un coche que puede alcanzar velocidades de unas 300 millas por hora en superficie plana or llana

Only a modest increase in power would enable speeds of 105mph to be reached on the level speed on the level This makes it easy to align the camera on the level In the garden we tend to plant either on small mounds or on the level

to be on the level [+person] ser de fiar; ser un tipo cabal (informal)

is he on the level?

it's on the level es un negocio serio or limpio

They may be on the level, they may be phoney as hell was he on the level when he said that? I know he was on the level when he said he was in the bath There were probably moments when you wondered if anyone spoke the truth or was on the level I could have sworn he was on the level it really didn't matter if the guy was on the level with me or not I can offer you something better than this. And all on the level

6 (also spirit level) nivel (m) de burbuja

transitive verb

1 (make level) [+ground, site] nivelar; allanar

to level the playing-field igualar las condiciones

There are things that can be done to level the playing field The North American Free Trade Agreement was supposed to level the playing field and bring down all trade barriers by the year 2000

2 (raze) [+building, city] arrasar

Further tremors could level more buildings The storm was the most powerful to hit Hawaii this century. It leveled sugar plantations and destroyed homes two skyscrapers were dynamited and levelled to the ground He'd ordered his men to take the rest of the capital at all costs - even if they had to level the city in order to bring a speedy end to the war

3 (Dep) (equalize) [+match, game] igualar

England need to win the match to level the series at two matches all He broke Bates's serve to level the match at 3-3

to level the score(s) igualar el marcador

Nilsen, with a long-range free kick, levelled the scores two minutes from time Iglesias scored twice to level the score Anatoly Karpov has won the seventh game of the world chess championship in New York to level the score at three-and-a-half each The Cincinnati Reds have levelled the score in the National League play-off against the Pittsburgh Pirates

4 (direct)

to level a [blow] at sb She pushed away her assailant and levelled blows at his well-padded torso to level a charge [against] [at] sb

he has denied the charges levelled against him ha negado las acusaciones que se han hecho en su contra

Democratic presidential candidates Bill Clinton and Jerry Brown spent the weekend leveling charges at one another. The two are vying for the support of New York voters who go to the polls tomorrow Earlier in the day Clinton had leveled attacks on the president's proposed tax cut The charge of sexism has frequently been levelled at the magazine Allegations of corruption were levelled at him and his family The accusations are levelled at anti-communist groups... Similar accusations were leveled in the September 1992 issue of British Esquire He brushed off the allegations levelled against him He leveled bitter criticism against the US

he has not responded to the criticism levelled at him no ha reaccionado ante las críticas que se le han dirigido

to level a gun at sb apuntar a or contra algn con una pistola

Eddie stood up too, and levelled the shotgun at my nose

intransitive verb

especially (US)

I'll level with you te voy a hablar con franqueza; te voy a ser franco; you didn't level with me no has sido franco conmigo

modifier

level crossing (n) (Britain) paso (m) a nivel