gravel
Americannoun
-
small stones and pebbles, or a mixture of these with sand.
-
Pathology.
-
multiple small calculi formed in the kidneys.
-
the disease characterized by such concretions.
-
verb (used with object)
-
to cover with gravel.
-
to bring to a standstill from perplexity; puzzle.
-
Informal. to be a cause of irritation to.
-
Obsolete. to run (a ship) aground, as on a beach.
adjective
noun
-
an unconsolidated mixture of rock fragments that is coarser than sand
-
geology a mixture of rock fragments with diameters in the range 4–76 mm
-
pathol small rough calculi in the kidneys or bladder
verb
-
to cover with gravel
-
to confound or confuse
-
informal to annoy or disturb
Other Word Forms
- gravelish adjective
- ungraveled adjective
- ungravelled adjective
- well-graveled adjective
- well-gravelled adjective
Etymology
Origin of gravel
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French gravele, diminutive of grave sandy shore, perhaps < Celtic; grave 4, growan
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Not far away was a washout and the bottom was covered with gravel.
From Literature
Fred was a streak of gray flying over gray rocks, and Nim’s legs followed him as she ran for her life down the side of the hot gravel cone.
From Literature
He treks the gravel path behind the farmhouse to a small pasture tucked between rows of corn and soybeans.
What should be sweet and chewy is hard and tastes vaguely like gravel.
From Literature
There was standing water on the gravel road, but not nearly as much as there had been on the highway.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
