Also 8–9 (now U.S.) leveler. [f. LEVEL v. + -ER1.] One who or that which levels.
1. In material senses.
† a. One who takes soundings. † b. One who aims, an aimer. † c. A level (the instrument). d. One who levels ground. Also, ‘an earth-scraper for levelling a site’ (Knight, Dict. Mech., 1875). e. Pugilism. A knock-down blow. f. One who uses a level or levelling-instrument. g. ‘A billiard-table foot having a screw adjustment for height, in order to level the table.’ (Knight). h. (See quot. 1891.)
1598. Florio, Scandagliatore, a sounder, a leueller, or fadomer of the sea.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Coup, The farre-off leueller shall neuer hit the white.
1693. Evelyn, De la Quint. Compl. Gard., I. 41. Every Level … must be taken with the Rule and Leveller, which every body knows is a Triangular Instrument with a Lead … hung to a small Cord, and that fix’d to the obtuse Angle.
1712. J. James, trans. Le Blond’s Gardening, 115. Customs that are ordinarily follow’d by Levelers.
1814. Sporting Mag., XLIII. 68. B. put in some good body hits, but C. returned them by a leveller.
1834. Blackw. Mag., XXXV. 548. The leveller and the shoveller … have taken the crown off his [a hill’s] head.
1860. J. Mullan, Rep. Constr. Road to Ft. Benton (1863), 85. The level was used by myself until … sickness forced me to leave the party, Mr. Johnson taking my place as leveller.
1891. Labour Commission Gloss., s.v. Cokemen, In making coke, the coal is deposited in the oven by a tub which runs to the top eye, and is there tipped up, the coal naturally forming a conical heap at the bottom of the oven. The leveller rakes this coal level.
2. One who would level all differences of position or rank among men. The term first arose as the designation of a political party of Charles I.’s reign, which professed principles of this character; in later use, it has been applied more widely.
1644. Needham, Case Commw., 77. Our Levellers now exclaim against the Parliament.
1647. Newsletter, 1 Nov. (Clarendon MSS. 2638). They have given themselves a new name viz. Levellers, for they intend to sett all things straight, and rayse a parity and community in the kingdom.
1658. J. Harrington, Prerog. Pop. Govt., I. viii. 44. The People … are not Levellers, nor know they why, and yet it is, because to be levellers, were to destroy themselves.
1697. Collier, Ess. Mor. Subj., I. 40. I see, you are an everlasting Leveller, you won’t allow any encouragement to extraordinary Industry and Merit.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., Wks. 1808, V. 104. The levellers … only change and pervert the natural order of things.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), II. x. 223. The commonwealth’s men and the levellers … grew clamorous for the king’s death.
1876. Bancroft, Hist. U.S., I. xi. 386. The republicans, the levellers, the fanatics,—all ranged themselves on the side of the new ideas.
3. pl. The name of a rebel secret society in Ireland in the 18th c. (see quots.); identical with or similar to the ‘Whiteboys.’
1762. Gentl. Mag., 183. What you, in Dublin, think of the White Boys, or Levellers, I cannot say.
1763. Brit. Mag., IV. 162. The mischiefs committed by those people called Levellers, in the county of Tipperary; by levelling park walls, breaking down fences, &c.
4. A thing that reduces all men to an equality.
1659. Gentl. Calling (1679), 77. Such a Leveller is Debauchery, that it takes off all distinctions.
1755. Young, Centaur, ii. Wks. (1757), IV. 146. Is diversion grown a leveller, like death?
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 32, ¶ 5. Sleep is equally a leveller with death.
1829. Lytton, Devereux, II. i. Emotion, whether of ridicule, anger or sorrow, is your grandest of levellers.
1874. Helps, Soc. Press., xiii. 179. Familiarity is the great leveller, and a most unjust leveller.
