Abney level
- noun
- /ˈæbni ˈlɛvəl/
- Specialized
:
nivel Abney
- The Abney level allowed the surveyor to efficiently measure the slope of the hill.
Examples
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She demonstrated how to calibrate the Abney level before taking any measurements.
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The engineer used an Abney level to measure the slope.
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By using an Abney level, engineers can determine the grade of a road.
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Have you ever seen an Abney level in action?
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By using an Abney level, engineers can accurately measure the angle of a slope during construction.
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The Abney level is essential for surveying, as it helps determine the precise grade of a terrain.
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To get accurate readings, the technician carefully aligned the Abney level with the target markers.
Synonyms
15
8.9
A small telescope on a tripod used to measure horizontal and vertical angles
A tool used to measure directions or angles when mapping land
An instrument for measuring distance, direction, and height on land quickly
Surface Forms
Morphology
Abney + level
The constituent 'level' clearly signals a measuring instrument (so a B1 learner would infer it is a kind of level), but 'Abney' is a proper name with no lexical meaning for learners and does not reveal the specific features (sighting tube, angle measurement). Because part of the meaning (that it is a level) is derivable from the constituents but the specialized function and form are not predictable from the name, the expression is partially transparent.
Etymology
Abney level is named after William Abney, who made a small hand-held tool combining a bubble level and a sighting tube. You look through the tube and watch the bubble to read how steep something is, so the name now means the tool used to 'measure slope' or 'angle of incline'.