📖 The Origins of ‘Level Best’: Digging into Determination ⛏️
“Level best, to do one’s” - To exert oneself to the fullest. A nineteenth-century Americanism, this term has been traced to the days of the California gold rush 🌟, when miners panning for gold would shake sand and gravel until it was level and revealed the ore. It appeared in An Arkansaw Doctor in 1851: “We put our horses out at their level best.” The iconic Mark Twain also gave it his seal of approval in his poem “He Done His Level Best” (1875): “If he’d a reg’lar task to do, he never took no rest; or if ’twas off-and-on, the same, he done his level best.”
Related & Similar Terms:
- Give it one’s all: To put all one’s effort into an endeavor.
- Go the extra mile: To go beyond what is required to achieve something.
- Put one’s back into it: To work very hard on something.
- Leave no stone unturned: To do everything possible to achieve a goal.
Synonyms:
- Try one’s hardest
- Give it everything
- Go all out
Antonyms:
- Slack off
- Halfhearted attempt
- Laze around
Humor-filled Quotes:
- “Giving your best shot! Makes you a perfect photographer every time.” 📸 – Anonymous
- “When you do your level best, even the floor is impressed!” 😂 – E. R. Ernest
Proverbs:
- “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
- “Good, better, best. Never let it rest. ‘Til your good is better and your better is best.” – St. Jerome
Literary References:
- Mark Twain: “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” - entertaining adventurous spirit and determination.
- Charles Dickens: “David Copperfield” - themes of perseverance and effort in life’s journey.
Suggested Literature, Books, Songs, Poetry, and Movies:
- Book: “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” by Angela Duckworth
- Poem: “If—” by Rudyard Kipling
- Song: “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor
- Movie: “The Pursuit of Happyness” starring Will Smith
### Which of these relates to putting in maximum effort?
- [x] Do one's level best
- [ ] Take it easy
- [ ] Drop the ball
- [ ] Cut corners
> **Explanation:** "Do one's level best" means to exert oneself to the fullest. The others indicate less effort or negligence.
### True or False: The term 'level best' originates from miners ensuring an equitable distribution of work.
- [x] False
- [ ] True
> **Explanation:** The term actually traces back to the California gold miners leveling sand and gravel to reveal gold ore effectively.
### Which phrase is similar to "do one's level best"?
- [ ] Drop the ball
- [x] Give it your all
- [ ] Take a backseat
- [ ] Hit the hay
> **Explanation:** "Give it your all" is synonymous with doing one's level best, meaning a full effort.
### Which movie exemplifies the concept of doing your level best?
- [ ] "Let's Be Cops"
- [ ] "Snakes on a Plane"
- [x] "The Pursuit of Happyness"
- [ ] "Sharknado"
> **Explanation:** "The Pursuit of Happyness" features a protagonist doing whatever it takes and giving his all to succeed.
Inspirational Thought-Provoking Farewell:
🌟 “May you always shake life’s gravel to reveal your golden endeavors—one leveled best effort at a time.” 🌟
