1. [n]  the act of drafting into military service
2. [n]  a charge imposed and collected
3. [v]  cause to assemble or enlist; "raise an army"
4. [v]  impose and collect; "levy a fine"

1. \Lev"y\ (-[y^]), n.; pl. {Levies} (-[i^]z). [A contr. of
   elevenpence or elevenpenny bit.]
   A name formerly given in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia
   to the Spanish real of one eighth of a dollar (or 121/2
   cents), valued at eleven pence when the dollar was rated at
   7s. 6d.
   
   

2. \Lev"y\, n. [F. lev['e]e, fr. lever to raise. See {Lever},
   and cf. {Levee}.]
   1. The act of levying or collecting by authority; as, the
      levy of troops, taxes, etc.
   
            A levy of all the men left under sixty. --Thirlwall.
   
   2. That which is levied, as an army, force, tribute, etc. ``
      The Irish levies.'' --Macaulay.
   
   3. (Law) The taking or seizure of property on executions to
      satisfy judgments, or on warrants for the collection of
      taxes; a collecting by execution.
   
   {Levy in mass} [F. lev['e]e en masse], a requisition of all
      able-bodied men for military service.
   
   

3. \Lev"y\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Levied} (l[e^]v"[i^]d); p.
   pr. & vb. n. {Levying}.]
   1. To raise, as a siege. [Obs.] --Holland.
   
   2. To raise; to collect; said of troops, to form into an army
      by enrollment, conscription, etc.
   
            Augustine . . . inflamed Ethelbert, king of Kent, to
            levy his power, and to war against them. --Fuller.
   
   3. To raise or collect by assessment; to exact by authority;
      as, to levy taxes, toll, tribute, or contributions.
   
            If they do this . . . my ransom, then, Will soon be
            levied.                               --Shak.
   
   4. (Law)
      (a) To gather or exact; as, to levy money.
      (b) To erect, build, or set up; to make or construct; to
          raise or cast up; as, to levy a mill, dike, ditch, a
          nuisance, etc. [Obs.] --Cowell. --Blackstone.
      (c) To take or seize on execution; to collect by
          execution.
   
   {To levy a fine}, to commence and carry on a suit for
      assuring the title to lands or tenements. --Blackstone.
   
   {To levy war}, to make or begin war; to take arms for attack;
      to attack.
   
   

4. \Lev"y\, v. i.
   To seize property, real or personal, or subject it to the
   operation of an execution; to make a levy; as, to levy on
   property; the usual mode of levying, in England, is by
   seizing the goods.
   
   {To levy on goods and chattels}, to take into custody or
      seize specific property in satisfaction of a writ.
   
   

(1 Kings 4:6, R.V.; 5:13), forced service. The service of tributaries was often thus exacted by kings. Solomon raised a "great levy" of 30,000 men, about two per cent. of the population, to work for him by courses on Lebanon. Adoram (12:18) presided over this forced labour service (Ger. Frohndienst; Fr. corvee).