leveling
noun
Leveling — the plain, physical act of making something flat and even
Definition
The act of making equal or uniform
In depth
Leveling is the act of making things equal or uniform, the word carrying a more concrete, physical resonance than its Latinate near-synonyms — the literal flattening of ground, or the figurative removal of social hierarchy and distinction. It suggests effort applied directly, often to terrain, structures, or status.
Origin
The word descends from Old French livel, a level or standard, ultimately from Latin libella, a small balance or scale, a diminutive of libra, balance. Its long political history, particularly through England's seventeenth-century Leveller movement, which sought to abolish social rank and property privilege, gave the word an enduring association with radical social equality alongside its plainer, literal meaning.
Usage examples
"The construction crew spent the entire morning leveling the foundation before any building could begin."
"The revolution's promise of leveling old class distinctions appealed powerfully to a population long denied any real mobility."
"Years of erosion had done the slow work of leveling what had once been a steep, dramatic hillside."
How to use it
Leveling is plain, accessible vocabulary, equally natural describing literal physical flattening and figurative social or economic equalization. It carries a slightly blunter, more forceful connotation than 'equalization,' useful when a writer wants to suggest deliberate, sometimes disruptive force.
Related concepts
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