Levee

[lev-ee] /ˈlɛv i/

noun
1.
an embankment designed to prevent the flooding of a river.
2.
Geology. .
3.
Agriculture. one of the small continuous ridges surrounding fields that are to be irrigated.
4.
History/Historical. a landing place for ships; quay.
verb (used with object), leveed, leveeing.
5.
to furnish with a levee:
to levee a treacherous stream.
[lev-ee, le-vee] /ˈlɛv i, lɛˈvi/
noun
1.
(in Great Britain) a public court assembly, held in the early afternoon, at which men only are received.
2.
a reception, usually in someone’s honor:
a presidential levee at the White House.
3.
History/Historical. a reception of visitors held on rising from bed, as formerly by a royal or other personage.
/ˈlɛvɪ/
noun (US)
1.
an embankment alongside a river, produced naturally by sedimentation or constructed by man to prevent flooding
2.
an embankment that surrounds a field that is to be irrigated
3.
a landing place on a river; quay
/ˈlɛvɪ; ˈlɛveɪ/
noun
1.
a formal reception held by a sovereign just after rising from bed
2.
(in Britain) a public court reception for men, held in the early afternoon
n.

1719, “natural or artificial embankment to prevent overflow of a river,” from New Orleans French levée “raising, lifting; embankment,” from French, originally fem. past participle of lever “to raise,” from Latin levare “to raise” (see lever).

“morning assembly held by a prince or king (upon rising from bed),” 1670s, from French lever “a raising,” noun use of verb meaning “to raise” (see levee (n.1)).
levee
(lěv’ē)