Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Gravel?

\Grav"el\, n. [OF. gravele, akin to F. gr?ve a sandy shore, strand; of Celtic origin; cf. Armor. grouan gravel, W. gro coarse gravel, pebbles, and Skr. gr[=a]van stone.] 1. Small stones, or fragments of stone; very small pebbles, often intermixed with particles of sand. 2. (Med.) A deposit of small calculous concretions in the kidneys and the urinary or gall bladder; also, the disease of which they are a symptom. {Gravel powder}, a coarse gunpowder; pebble powder.
\Grav"el\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Graveled}or {Gravelled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Graveling} or {Gravelling}.] 1. To cover with gravel; as, to gravel a walk. 2. To run (as a ship) upon the gravel or beach; to run aground; to cause to stick fast in gravel or sand. When we were fallen into a place between two seas, they graveled the ship. --Acts xxvii. 41 (Rhemish version). Willam the Conqueror . . . chanced as his arrival to be graveled; and one of his feet stuck so fast in the sand that he fell to the ground. --Camden. 3. To check or stop; to embarrass; to perplex. [Colloq.] When you were graveled for lack of matter. --Shak. The physician was so graveled and amazed withal, that he had not a word more to say. --Sir T. North. 4. To hurt or lame (a horse) by gravel lodged between the shoe and foot.