gravel
Crushed rock bits
Gravel is a loose collection of small stones and rock fragments, coarser than sand but smaller than cobbles.
It forms naturally in riverbeds and is manufactured for construction—driveways, paths, roadbeds.
A gravel road or driveway is surfaced with it.
To gravel someone is to irritate or perplex them, though this use is old-fashioned.
A gravelly voice is rough and low-pitched, as if full of small stones.
Small water-smoothed stones
- stonesSmall hard earth fragments
- cobblestoneRiver-smoothed paving stone
- shingleOverlapping roof covering
- screeLoose rock debris
talus · sediment · granules · flint · chert · basalt · granite · limestone
Coarse or courageous
- coarseRough in texture
- granularMade of tiny particles
- pebblyCovered in small stones
- crunchyBreaking with sound
loose · rough · uneven · sharp · crumbly · shifting · abrasive · tactile
Foundation beneath railway tracks
- subbaseFoundation beneath a surface
- foundationUnderlying support structure
- backfillReplacing excavated material
- compactionReducing volume through pressure
grading · drainage · fill · bedding · stabilization · roadwork · earthwork · excavation
Designated route for travel
- gardenCultivated plant area
- mulchProtective plant bedding
- edgingDecorative border material
- groundcoverLow plants blanketing soil
borders · decorative · hardscape · xeriscaping · pavers · stepping-stones · rockery · permeable
Heat-popped volcanic glass
- vermiculiteExpandable insulating mineral
- aquaponicsFish-plant water farming
- drainageLiquid removal system
- aerationInfusing with oxygen
pebbles
Small water-smoothed stones
- stonesSmall hard earth fragments
- cobblestoneRiver-smoothed paving stone
- shingleOverlapping roof covering
scree · talus · sediment · granules · flint · chert · basalt · granite · limestone · quartzite
gritty
Coarse or courageous
crunchy · loose · rough · uneven · sharp · crumbly · shifting · abrasive · tactile · underfoot
roadbed
Foundation beneath railway tracks
- subbaseFoundation beneath a surface
- foundationUnderlying support structure
- backfillReplacing excavated material
compaction · grading · drainage · fill · bedding · stabilization · roadwork · earthwork · excavation · trench
pathway
Designated route for travel
groundcover · borders · decorative · hardscape · xeriscaping · pavers · stepping-stones · rockery · permeable · ornamental
perlite
Heat-popped volcanic glass
- vermiculiteExpandable insulating mineral
- aquaponicsFish-plant water farming
- drainageLiquid removal system
entrance
Point of access
- approachWay of handling something
- parkingLeaving a vehicle temporarily
- residentialRelating to housing
rural · country · lane · private · access · estate · property · curb · gate · turnaround
raspy
Rough and grating
throaty · scratchy · guttural · harsh · croaky · growling · deep · rumbling · strained
gravelasphalt
Petroleum-based paving material
concrete · pavement · polished stone · smooth surface · tarmac
- cradle to graveEntire span of existence
- one foot in the graveNear death's door
- dig one's own graveCause one's own undoing
- gravel roadUnpaved way surfaced with stones
- mass graveShared burial for many
- rolled in one's graveImagined corpse distress
grave, gravelly, gravely, gravels, gravelled, gravelling, graveling, graveled, gravel roads