LEVANT, the countries bordering upon the Mediterranean are so called. It appears to be derived from le vent, the wind, or country to windward, in relation to Italy.
LEVANTIN, Fr. A word generally used among the French to distinguish any person from the Levant.
LEVANTINE nations, (Nations Levantines, Fr.) Nations belonging to the East, or to those countries which border on the Mediterranean. The French likewise say, Peuples Levantines.
LEVANTIS, Fr. The soldiers belonging to the Turkish gallies are so called.
LEVEE de troupes, Fr. See [Levy].
Levee en Masse, Fr. a general rising of the people of any country, either for the purposes of self defence, or to answer the intentions of its governing powers.
Levee d’une siege, Fr. The raising of a siege. See [Siege].
LEVEL, an instrument to draw a line parallel to the horizon, whereby the difference of ascent or descent between several places may be found, for conveying water, draining fens, &c.
Air-Level, that which shews the line of level by means of a bubble of air, inclosed with some liquor in a glass tube of an indeterminate length and thickness, whose two ends are hermetically sealed. When the bubble fixes itself at a certain mark, made exactly in the centre of the tube, the plane or ruler wherein it is fixed is level; when it is not level, the bubble will rise to one end. This glass tube may be set in another of brass, having an aperture in the middle, whence the bubble of air may be observed. There is one of these instruments with sights, being an improvement upon the last described, which by the addition of more apparatus, becomes more commodious and exact: it consists of an air-level about eight inches long, and 7 or 8 lines in diameter, set in a brass tube, with an aperture in the middle: the tubes are carried in a strong straight ruler, a foot long, at whose ends are fixed two sights, exactly perpendicular to the tubes, and of an equal height, having a square hole, formed by two fillets of brass crossing each other at right angles, in the middle whereof is drilled a very little hole, through which a point on a level with the instrument is described: the brass tube is fastened on the ruler by means of two screws, one whereof serves to raise or depress the tube at pleasure, for bringing it towards a level. The top of the ball and socket is riveted to a little ruler that springs, one end whereof is fastened with screws to the great ruler, and at the other end is a screw serving to raise and depress the instrument when nearly level.
Artillery foot-Level, is in form of a square, having its two branches or legs of an equal length, at the angle of which is a small hole, whence hang a line and plummet, playing on a perpendicular line in the middle of a quadrant: it is divided into twice 45 degrees from the middle.