Gravel
/ˈɡrævəl/
Definitions
2 meaningsSmall pieces of stone used for surfaces or as a building material.
/ˈɡrævəl/
Loose fragments of stone or rock.
The path was covered in loose gravel.
💡 Simply: Gravel is like a bunch of small rocks all jumbled together. You might see it on a road or in a garden. Think of it as the tiny rocks you might find at a playground after a construction project or in your parents' driveway.
👶 For kids: Gravel is like tiny, tiny rocks!
More Examples
They poured a layer of gravel to improve drainage.
The car crunched on the gravel driveway.
How It's Used
"Gravel is often used as a base layer for roads and driveways."
"She spread gravel around her plants to help with drainage."
To cover (a surface) with gravel.
/ˈɡrævəl/
To cover something with gravel.
They graveled the road to prevent erosion.
💡 Simply: To gravel something means to cover it with little rocks. Think of it like putting down a layer of gravel on a road to make it strong or in a garden to help water drain well.
👶 For kids: Gravel means to put tiny rocks on something!
More Examples
We're graveling the pathway to prevent it from becoming muddy.
The workers graved the new construction area.
How It's Used
"The workers graved the driveway to prepare for the new pavement."
"We're graveling the garden path to create a walkway."
Idioms & expressions
gravel rash
A painful abrasion of the skin, usually caused by a fall on a rough surface, such as gravel.
"After the bike accident, the child was left with a severe gravel rash on his knee."
From Middle English gravele, from Old French gravele, diminutive of grave 'sand, beach, gravel', from Late Latin grava 'gravel'.
Used for road surfacing and garden paths since ancient times.
Memory tip
Imagine tiny rocks scattered on the ground.