gravel

CEFRC1

/ˈɡɹævəl/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    Small loose stones used on roads and paths.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A particle from 2 to 64 mm in diameter, following the Wentworth scale.

Examples

  • They are binding the gravel with cement to repair the road.

  • We need to bind gravel with cement.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
3

Also pronounced

  • [ˈɡɹævl̩]
  • /ˈɡɹævəɯ/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A type or grade of small rocks, differentiated by mineral type, size range, or other characteristics.

  2. Small fragments of rock, used for laying on the beds of roads and railways, and as ballast.

  3. A lameness in the foot of a horse, usually caused by an abscess.

More examples

In context

  • The physician was so gravelled and amazed withal, that he had not a word more to say.

  • 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, William Conqerour when he invaded this Iland, chanced at his...

  • The great use of coffee in France is supposed to have abated the prevalency of the gravel, for where coffee is used as a constant beverage, the gravel and the gout are scarcely known.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The driveway was covered with loose blank that crunched under our feet.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

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”).