GRAVEL (gravelled, gravelling)

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does gravel mean? 

• GRAVEL (noun)
  The noun GRAVEL has 1 sense:

1. rock fragments and pebbles

  Familiarity information: GRAVEL used as a noun is very rare.

• GRAVEL (adjective)
  The adjective GRAVEL has 1 sense:

1. unpleasantly harsh or grating in sound

  Familiarity information: GRAVEL used as an adjective is very rare.

• GRAVEL (verb)
  The verb GRAVEL has 3 senses:

1. cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
2. cover with gravel
3. be a mystery or bewildering to

  Familiarity information: GRAVEL used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GRAVEL (noun)

Meaning:

Rock fragments and pebbles

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

crushed rock; gravel

Hypernyms ("gravel" is a kind of...):

rock; stone (material consisting of the aggregate of minerals like those making up the Earth's crust)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gravel"):

ballast (coarse gravel laid to form a bed for streets and railroads)

bank gravel; pit run; pit-run gravel (gravel as found in natural deposits)

shingle (coarse beach gravel of small waterworn stones and pebbles (or a stretch of shore covered with such gravel))

• GRAVEL (adjective)

Meaning:

Unpleasantly harsh or grating in sound

Synonyms:

grating; gravel; rasping; raspy; gravelly; scratchy; rough

Context example:

a gravelly voice

Similar:

cacophonic; cacophonous (having an unpleasant sound)

• GRAVEL (verb)

Meaning:

Cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

vex; rile; nark; irritate; gravel; annoy; devil; bother; nettle; rag; get to; chafe; get at

Context examples:

Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me / It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves

Hypernyms (to "gravel" is one way to...):

displease (give displeasure to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "gravel"):

beset; chevvy; chevy; chivvy; chivy; harass; harry; hassle; molest; plague; provoke (annoy continually or chronically)

fret (cause annoyance in)

ruffle (trouble or vex)

peeve (cause to be annoyed, irritated, or resentful)

eat into; fret; grate; rankle (gnaw into; make resentful or angry)

get; get under one's skin (irritate)

antagonise; antagonize (provoke the hostility of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The performance is likely to gravel Sue

Meaning:

Cover with gravel

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

We gravelled the driveway

Hypernyms (to "gravel" is one way to...):

cover (provide with a covering or cause to be covered)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Meaning:

Be a mystery or bewildering to

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

puzzle; perplex; nonplus; mystify; flummox; dumbfound; bewilder; baffle; stupefy; amaze; gravel; vex; pose; stick; beat; get

Context examples:

This beats me! / Got me--I don't know the answer! / a vexing problem / This question really stuck me

Hypernyms (to "gravel" is one way to...):

bedevil; befuddle; confound; confuse; discombobulate; fox; fuddle; throw (be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "gravel"):

mix up; stump (cause to be perplexed or confounded)

riddle (set a difficult problem or riddle)

elude; escape (be incomprehensible to; escape understanding by)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody