Date:  Tue, 13 Jan 1998 21:16:38 -0500
From:  Gregory {Greg} Downing <downingg[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]IS2.NYU.EDU>
Subject: Re: "level the playing field"

At 08:01 PM 1/13/98 -0500, you (Gerald Cohen <gcohen[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UMR.EDU>) wrote:
>  I recently received a query about the expression "to level the playing
>field." In what way is a playing field leveled? What is the origin of this
>unusual expression? Is it older than the past decade or so?
>

Hmmm, "to level" also means to survey some piece of ground in order to make
sure it is flat or level. Perhaps (???) if one found early uses of this
phrase they might mean "to ensure the field is level so that play is fair"
rather than "to make the field level." However, the phrase is commonly used
in current political discourse with the idea of actively making something
level. -- After all, where would a politician be if s/he said "Elect me, I
want to measure something" rather than "Elect me, I'm going to act to make
things fair."

For "to level" = "to survey for flatness," see OED2 level v. meaning 5, and
also levelling vbl. n. meanings 2 and 3. But there is no "level...
playing(-)field" anywhere in OED2.

Greg Downing/NYU, at greg.downing[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]nyu.edu or downingg[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]is2.nyu.edu