gravel

plural gravels

1. uncountableusuallySmall fragments of rock, used for laying on the beds of roads and railways, and as ballast.
2. uncountableusuallyA type or grade of small rocks, differentiated by mineral type, size range, or other characteristics.
3. uncountableusuallygeographyA particle from 2 to 64 mm in diameter, following the Wentworth scale.
4. archaicuncountableusuallyKidney stones, or nephrolithiasis

   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.

   1848, J. S. Skinner & Son, editor, The Plough, The Loom and the Anvil, volume I, Philadelphia: J. S. Skinner & Son, page 137

   Synonyms: chisel, chessil, stones, gallstones

5. uncountableusuallyA lameness in the foot of a horse, usually caused by an abscess.

   'Looks like pus in the foot to me.' 'I'll bet you're right,' Farnon said. 'They call it gravel around here, by the way. What do you suggest we do about it?'

   1972, James Herriot, All Creatures Great and Small, St. Martin's Press, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 22

   1 more example

   The defendant below hired the horse to go from Cocksackie to Schodack, and the next day after his arrival at the latter place, the horse was found to be lame in one foot; and the lameness increasing, the defendant below was obliged to leave the horse there, and hire another with which to return. About four weeks after, the horse was brought home, and showed signs of gravel working out above the hoof.

   1817, William Johnson, editor, Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of Judicature, E. F. Backus, page 211

6. rareuncountableusuallyInability to see at night; night blindness.

   A malady that was rare, but which because of its peculiarity elicited much comment, was "night blindness" or "gravel."

   1943, Bell Irvin Wiley, The Life of Johnny Reb: The Common Soldier of the Confederacy, The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 255

7. uncountableusuallycyclingGravel 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. slanguncountableusuallyThe stimulant drug alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone.

present singular third person gravels · US participle present graveling · UK participle present gravelling · US participle past graveled · US past graveled · UK participle past gravelled · UK past gravelled

1. transitiveTo apply a layer of gravel to the surface of a road, etc.

   We kept quietly on our way until we reached a place in the road that had been freshly graveled, and where the surface was covered with stones just suited to our use.

   1905, John F. Hume, The Abolitionists

2. transitiveTo puzzle or annoy.

   When you were gravelled for lack of matter.

   c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]

   3 more examples

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

   1579, Sir Thomas North, tr., Plutarch's Lives, The Life of Marcus Antonius

   […] I arrived at a spot where I was completely gravelled, and could go no farther one way or the other; […]

   1830, Joseph Plumb Martin, “Ch. VIII”, in A Narrative of Some of the Adventures, Dangers and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier

   It graveled me like sixty to pay such a price, but I had to do it because the season was just between hay and grass.

   1922, Herbert Quick, Vandemark's Folly

3. ambitransitiveTo run (as a ship) upon the gravel or beach; to run aground; to (cause to) be grounded in gravel or sand.

   the keeled gravelled on the beach

   1902, Agnes C. Laut, Heralds of Empire: Being the Story of One Ramsay Stanhope

   1 more example

   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 arrival to be gravelled, and one of his feet stuck so fast in the sand, that he fell to the ground.

4. obsoletetransitiveTo hurt or lame (a horse) by gravel or similar material lodged between the shoe and foot.
5. archaicslangtransitiveTo prostrate; to beat to the ground.

plural Gravels

1. A surname.