Verb

To adjust so as to make as flat or perpendicular to the ground as possible.

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To destroy by reducing to ground level; to raze.

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*(John Dryden) (1631-1700)

*:He levels mountains and he raises plains.

(lb) To progress to the next level.

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To aim or direct (a weapon, a stare, an accusation, etc).

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*(John Stow) (c.1525–1605)

*:Bertram de Gordon, standing on the castle wall, levelled a quarrel out of a crossbow.

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*:But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window […], and a 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge, little dreaming that the deadly tube was levelled at them.

To make the score of a game equal.

*{{quote-news, year=2012, date=April 9, author=Mandeep Sanghera, work=BBC Sport

, title= Tottenham 1-2 Norwich , passage=Holt was furious referee Michael Oliver refused to then award him a penalty after Ledley King appeared to pull his shirt and his anger was compounded when Spurs immediately levelled .}}

To levy.

*2007 , Mary Jacoby, EU investigators endorse charges against Intel , Wall Street Journal Europe, 17 January, p.32, col.5:

*:Ultimately, Ms. Kroes [European Union Antitrust Commissioner] could level a fine and order Intel to change its business practices.

(lb) To bring to a common level or plane, in respect of rank, condition, character, privilege, etc.

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To adjust or adapt to a certain level.

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*(Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)

*:For all his mind on honour fixed is, / To which he levels all his purposes.

Verb

To incise, to cut into the surface of something.

#To perform an incision on, for example with a knife.

#*(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)

#*:You must cut this flesh from off his breast.

#To divide with a knife, scissors, or another sharp instrument.

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#*(Alexander Pope) (1688-1744)

#*:Before the whistling winds the vessels fly, / With rapid swiftness cut the liquid way.

#To form or shape by cutting.

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#*(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)

#*:Why should a man, whose blood is warm within, / Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster?

#*(John Milton) (1608-1674)

#*:loopholes cut through thickest shade

#To wound with a knife.

#*1990 , (Stephen Dobyns), The house on Alexandrine

#*:We don't want your money no more. We just going to cut you.

#To deliver a stroke with a whip or like instrument to.

#*

#*:“My Continental prominence is improving,” I commented dryly. ¶ Von Lindowe cut at a furze bush with his silver-mounted rattan. ¶ “Quite so,” he said as dryly, his hand at his mustache. “I may say if your intentions were known your life would not be worth a curse.”

#To wound or hurt deeply the sensibilities of; to pierce.

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#*(Joseph Addison) (1672–1719)

#*:The man was cut to the heart.

#To castrate or geld.

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#To interfere, as a horse; to strike one foot against the opposite foot or ankle in using the legs.

(lb) To admit of incision or severance; to yield to a cutting instrument.

*1858 , , (The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table)'', ''The Deacon's Masterpiece , in Chapter XI:

*:The panels of white-wood that cuts like cheese, / But lasts like iron for things like these;

To separate, remove, reject or reduce.

#To separate from prior association; to remove a portion of a recording during editing.

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#To reduce, especially intentionally.

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#*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-05-17, author=George Monbiot, authorlink=George Monbiot

, volume=188, issue=23, page=19, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Money just makes the rich suffer , passage=In order to grant the rich these pleasures, the social contract is reconfigured. The welfare state is dismantled. Essential public services are cut so that the rich may pay less tax.

#To absent oneself from (a class, an appointment, etc.).

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#* (1789-1842)

#*:An English tradesman is always solicitous to cut the shop whenever he can do so with impunity.

#To ignore as a social snub.

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To cease recording activities.

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To remove and place in memory for later use.

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(lb) To enter a queue in the wrong place.

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(lb) To intersect or cross in such a way as to divide in half or nearly so.

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*{{quote-news, year=2011, date=January 18, author=Daniel Taylor, work=Guardian Online

, title= Manchester City 4 Leicester City 2 , passage=Leicester's response was swift although the referee, Mark Halsey, was generous in the extreme when he awarded the penalty from which Paul Gallagher made it 1-1. Neither Joleon Lescott nor Vieira appeared to make any contact with Dyer as he cut between them.}}

*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-16, author= John Vidal

, volume=189, issue=10, page=8, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Dams endanger ecology of Himalayas , passage=Most of the Himalayan rivers have been relatively untouched by dams near their sources. Now the two great Asian powers, India and China, are rushing to harness them as they cut through some of the world's deepest valleys.}}

To make the ball spin sideways by running one's fingers down the side of the ball while bowling it. (rfex)

(lb) To change direction suddenly.

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To divide a pack of playing cards into two.

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To write.

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To dilute a liquid, usually alcohol.

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(lb) To exhibit (a quality).

*{{quote-news, year=2011, date=January 25, author=Paul Fletcher, work=BBC

, title= Arsenal 3-0 Ipswich (agg. 3-1) , passage=Arsenal were starting to work up a head of steam and Tractor Boys boss Paul Jewell cut an increasingly frustrated figure on the touchline.}}

(lb) To stop or disengage.

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