gravel

== English == === 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”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈɡɹævəl/ Rhymes: -ævəl Hyphenation: grav‧el === Noun === gravel (usually uncountable, plural gravels) (uncountable) Small fragments of rock, used for laying on the beds of roads and railways, and as ballast. A type or grade of small rocks, differentiated by mineral type, size range, or other characteristics. (uncountable, geology) A particle from 2 to 64 mm in diameter, following the Wentworth scale. Coordinate terms: (>256 mm) boulder, (64–256 mm) cobble, (62.5 μm – 2 mm) sand, (3.9–62.5 μm) silt, (0.98–3.9 μm) clay, (0.95–977 nm) colloid (uncountable, archaic) Kidney stones, or nephrolithiasis A lameness in the foot of a horse, usually caused by an abscess. (rare) Inability to see at night; night blindness. (uncountable, cycling) 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. (slang) The stimulant drug alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone. ==== Synonyms ==== (small stones or pebbles): chisel/chessil (calculus deposit): stones, gallstones ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== alluvium === Verb === gravel (third-person singular simple present gravels, present participle (US) graveling or (UK) gravelling, simple past and past participle (US) graveled or (UK) gravelled) (transitive) To apply a layer of gravel to the surface of a road, etc. (transitive) To puzzle or annoy. 1579, Sir Thomas North, tr., Plutarch's Lives, The Life of Marcus Antonius: The physician was so gravelled and amazed withal, that he had not a word more to say. (ambitransitive) To run (as a ship) upon the gravel or beach; to run aground; to (cause to) be grounded in gravel or sand. 1605, William Camden, “Grave Speeches and wittie Apothegms of worthy Personages of this Realm in former times,” in Remaines Concerning Britain, London: Simon Miller, sixth impression, 1657, p. 243, [4] William Conqerour when he invaded this Iland, chanced at his arrival to be gravelled, and one of his feet stuck so fast in the sand, that he fell to the ground. 1902, Agnes C. Laut, Heralds of Empire: Being the Story of One Ramsay Stanhope the keeled gravelled on the beach (obsolete, transitive) To hurt or lame (a horse) by gravel or similar material lodged between the shoe and foot. (transitive, slang, archaic) To prostrate; to beat to the ground. ==== Usage notes ==== In North American English, the forms graveled and graveling are more common. ==== Translations ==== === References === === Anagrams === glaver == Dutch == === Etymology === Borrowed from English gravel. === Pronunciation === Hyphenation: gra‧vel === Noun === gravel m or n (uncountable, no diminutive) claycourt (surface for playing tennis) == Italian == === Etymology === Pseudo-anglicism, derived from gravel. First attested in 2015. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˌɡrɛˈvɔl/ Rhymes: -ɔl === Noun === gravel f (invariable) durable bicycle capable of riding over gravel or other hard terrain; mountain bike === Noun === gravel m or f (invariable) bicycling competition on gravel or other hard terrain === Adjective === gravel (invariable) (relational) mountain bike == Middle Scots == === Etymology === Inherited from Middle English grauayle, from Old French gravele (“sand”). === Noun === gravel (plural gravelis) sand, gravel (in the plural) pebbles the disease so named