—n.
1 a a mixture of coarse sand and small water-worn or pounded stones, used for paths and roads and as an aggregate. b Geol. a stratum of this.
2 Med. aggregations of crystals formed in the urinary tract.
—v.tr. (gravelled, gravelling; US graveled, graveling)
1 lay or strew with gravel.
2 perplex, puzzle, nonplus (from an obs. sense 'run (a ship) aground').
Phrases and idioms:
gravel-blind literary almost completely blind ('more than sand-blind', in Shakesp. Merchant of Venice II. ii. 33).
Etymology: ME f. OF gravel(e) dimin. of grave (as GRAVE(4))
Useful english dictionary. 2012.