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Webster 1913 Edition


Levee

Lev′ee

(lĕv′ē̍; often lĕv-ē′ in U. S.)
,
Noun.
[F.
lever
, fr.
lever
to raise,
se lever
to rise. See
Lever
,
Noun.
]
1.
The act of rising.
“ The sun’s levee.”
Gray.
2.
A morning assembly or reception of visitors, – in distinction from a
soirée
, or evening assembly; a
matinée
; hence, also, any general or somewhat miscellaneous gathering of guests, whether in the daytime or evening;
as, the president's
levee
.
☞ In England a ceremonious day reception, when attended by both ladies and gentlemen, is called a
drawing-room
.

Lev′ee

,
Verb.
T.
To attend the levee or levees of.
He
levees
all the great.
Young.

Lev′ee

,
Noun.
[F.
levée
, fr.
lever
to raise. See
Lever
, and cf.
Levy
.]
An embankment to prevent inundation;
as, the
levees
along the Mississippi
; sometimes, the steep bank of a river.
[U. S.]

Lev′ee

,
Verb.
T.
To keep within a channel by means of levees;
as, to
levee
a river
.
[U. S.]

Webster 1828 Edition


Levee

LEV'EE

,
Noun.
[L. levo.]
1.
The time of rising.
2.
The concourse of persons who visit a prince or great personage in the morning.
3.
A bank or causey, particularly along a river to prevent inundation; as the levees along the Mississippi.

Definition 2024


levee

levee

See also: levée and lévée

English

Noun

levee (plural levees)

  1. An embankment to prevent inundation; as, the levees along the Mississippi.
  2. (US) The steep bank of a river, or border of an irrigated field.
  3. (US) A pier or other landing place on a river.
Synonyms
Translations

Verb

levee (third-person singular simple present levees, present participle leveeing, simple past and past participle leveed)

  1. (US, transitive) To keep within a channel by means of levees.
    to levee a river

Etymology 2

From French levé (risen).

Noun

levee (plural levees)

  1. (obsolete) The act of rising; getting up, especially in the morning after rest.
    • Gray
      the sun's levee
    • 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, p. 414:
      The sturdy hind now attends the levee of his fellow-labourer the ox []
  2. A reception of visitors held after getting up.
  3. A formal reception, especially one given by royalty or other leaders.
    • 1992, Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety, published 1993, ISBN 9780689121685, page 195:
      At the King's levee on the morning of the 13th, Philippe was first ignored; then asked by His Majesty (rudely) what he wanted; then told, ‘Get back where you came from.’

Verb

levee (third-person singular simple present levees, present participle leveeing, simple past and past participle leveed)

  1. (transitive) To attend the levee or levees of.
    • Young
      He levees all the great.

Old French

Verb

levee

  1. feminine singular of the past participle of lever