gravel

[ grav-uhl ]

noun

1. small stones and pebbles, or a mixture of these with sand.
2. Pathology.
   1. multiple small calculi formed in the kidneys.
   2. the disease characterized by such concretions.

verb (used with object)

, grav·eled, grav·el·ing or (especially British) grav·elled, grav·el·ling.

1. to cover with gravel.
2. to bring to a standstill from perplexity; puzzle.
3. Informal. to be a cause of irritation to.
4. Obsolete. to run (a ship) aground, as on a beach.

adjective

1. harsh and grating:

   a gravel voice.

gravel

/ ˈɡrævəl /

noun

1. an unconsolidated mixture of rock fragments that is coarser than sand
2. geology a mixture of rock fragments with diameters in the range 4–76 mm
3. pathol small rough calculi in the kidneys or bladder

verb

1. to cover with gravel
2. to confound or confuse
3. informal.
   to annoy or disturb

Derived Forms

• ˈgravelish, adjective

Other Words From

• gravel·ish adjective
• un·graveled adjective
• un·gravelled adjective
• well-graveled adjective
• well-gravelled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gravel¹

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French gravele, diminutive of grave sandy shore, perhaps < Celtic; grave ⁴, growan

Word History and Origins

Origin of gravel¹

C13: from Old French gravele, diminutive of grave gravel, perhaps of Celtic origin

Example Sentences

Gow went back to the family’s ranch house, low and brown and cut into the forest where the gravel road ends in a loop, the living room stuffed with prize saddles and trophy buckles, the walls stocked with photos of a family that ropes and races.

From ProPublica

Ariella Gintzler Some magic happens when you swap out your skinny road tires with 40-millimeter treaded rubber on a gravel bike.

From Outside Online

The Pathway offers a balance of everyday style, technical performance, and ample coverage that’s perfect for bikepacking and gravel adventures.

From Outside Online

Pereyra said without warning, Profitt pulled him to the ground, struck him in the back of the head and pushed his face into a gravel driveway.

From ProPublica

Walk into any bike shop and you’ll see road, mountain, gravel, casual, and commuter bikes, and e-versions of all of these, but likely nothing made for carrying more than the rider and a modest amount of stuff.

From Outside Online

They dress in clothing from the flophouse lost-and-found and are groomed with a hacksaw and gravel rake.

From The Daily Beast

A much larger gravel lot across the street also exhibits multiple sites of seepage, as if pixelating from below with black matter.

From The Daily Beast

Down a one-lane gravel road sits the house Burton left seven years ago.

From The Daily Beast

The truck pulls the guitar over railroad tracks, through rocks and gravel, whatever, and the guitar is still speaking.

From The Daily Beast

The majority of the slabs that constituted the wall were demolished and used for highway gravel.

From The Daily Beast

Suddenly his quick eye lit on something in the gravel path and his heart gave a great leap.

From Project Gutenberg

Some chickens were clucking outside the windows, scratching for bits of gravel in the grass.

From Project Gutenberg

The train stopped, and he stood on the grey gravel platform like a man in a dream.

From Project Gutenberg

Thence were taken fifteen baskets of gravel and dirt, which has the color of coal, in order to assay it.

From Project Gutenberg

As soon as he had reached the south gate he had ascertained this by a glance at the gravel shoulder of the road.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• sand
• shale