English Explanatory Dictionary

gravel

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Small fragments of rock, used for laying on the beds of roads and railways, and as ballast.
  2. A type or grade of small rocks, differentiated by mineral type, size range, or other characteristics.
  3. A particle from 2 to 64 mm in diameter, following the Wentworth scale.
  4. Kidney stones, or nephrolithiasis
  5. A lameness in the foot of a horse, usually caused by an abscess.
  6. Inability to see at night; night blindness.
  7. Gravel cycling, a discipline in cycling different from road cycling, mountain biking or cyclocross, for a large part on gravel roads, typically with a dedicated gravel bike.
  8. The stimulant drug alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone.
verb
  1. To apply a layer of gravel to the surface of a road, etc.
  2. To puzzle or annoy.
  3. To run (as a ship) upon the gravel or beach; to run aground; to (cause to) be grounded in gravel or sand.
  4. To hurt or lame (a horse) by gravel or similar material lodged between the shoe and foot.
  5. To prostrate; to beat to the ground.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/ˈɡɹævəl/ [ˈɡɹævl̩] LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-gravel.wav /ˈɡɹævəɯ/ [ˈɡɹævɯ]

Word forms

gravel gravels graveling gravelling graveled gravelled

Etymology

From Middle English gravel, grauel, from Old French gravele, diminutive of grave (“gravel, seashore”), from Medieval Latin grava, ultimately from Proto-Celtic *grāwā (“gravel, pebbles”) (compare Breton groa, Cornish grow, Welsh gro), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰroh₁weh₂, from *gʰreh₁w- (“to grind”). Compare also Old English græfa (“coal”).

Synonyms

chisel chessil stones gallstones

Related words

alluvium

Derived words

crunchy-gravel drama gravel bicycle gravel bike gravel-blind gravel cruncher graveldiver graveler graveliferous gravellike gravellish gravelly gravel nest gravelometer gravel pit gravel road gravel road cop gravel stop gravel trap gravel-voiced gravel-walk kidney gravel paleogravel pea gravel regravel shell gravel
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