pebble
gb/pˈɛbəl/ us/pˈɛbəl/
A2
English
kavics, kaviccsal borít, bekavicsoz
NOUN
A2
1
kavics
A2
Usage pattern:
a pebble; pebbles on/in/along [place]
She picked up a flat pebble and tried to skip it across the lake.
Felvett egy lapos kavicsot, és megpróbált kacsázni vele a tavon.
The path was covered with pebbles that crunched under our shoes.
Az ösvényt kavicsok borították, amelyek ropogtak a cipőnk alatt.
A few pebbles were stuck in the tread of his boots.
Learner examples
I found a white pebble on the beach.
Találtam egy fehér kavicsot a parton.
There are pebbles in my shoe.
Kavicsok vannak a cipőmben.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse pebble with gravel (many small stones together) or boulder (a very large rock).
Meaning
a small smooth stone
Collocations
a smooth pebble
|a small pebble
|a beach pebble
|a pebble beach
|pebbles and stones
|a handful of pebbles
|skip a pebble
|pebbles on the shore
|pebbles in a jar
|decorative pebbles
Synonyms
small stone (A general description; not necessarily smooth or rounded.)
|
stone (Broader term; can be larger and not rounded.)
Antonyms
boulder (A much larger rock.)
Themes
nature
|outdoors
|materials
Definition
A very small stone, often smooth and round.
A small, rounded stone, especially one worn smooth by water or weather.
VERB
C1
TECHNICAL
2
bekavicsoz
B2
Usage pattern:
pebble [surface]; pebble [area] with [pebbles]
They pebbled the garden path to improve drainage and grip.
Kaviccsal borították a kerti ösvényt, hogy javítsák a vízelvezetést és a tapadást.
The patio was pebbled in a pale mix that matched the stone wall.
A teraszt világos, a kőfalhoz illő kavicsos keverékkel burkolták.
The builder suggested pebbling the entrance area to prevent slipping.
Learner examples
They covered the path with pebbles.
Kaviccsal borították az ösvényt.
Common mistake:
This verb is uncommon in everyday conversation; learners may prefer phrases like cover with pebbles.
Meaning
cover with small pebbles
Collocations
pebble a walkway
|pebble a driveway
|pebble the courtyard
|pebble a surface
|pebble a patio
|pebble with small stones
Synonyms
surface (More general; does not specify pebbles.)
|
cover (More general; can be done with any material.)
Antonyms
smooth (To make a surface even rather than textured with stones.)
Themes
building
|home
|materials
Definition
To put small stones on a surface as a covering.
To cover, surface, or decorate something with pebbles, especially by pressing them into wet cement, plaster, or another material.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pebble
IPA
GB/pˈɛbəl/
US/pˈɛbəl/
Syllables & stress
pebble (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (pebble)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pebble
- Plural: pebble, pebbles
Verb
- Base: pebble
- 3rd Person Singular: pebbles
- Present Participle: pebbling
- Past: pebbled
Word family
Expressions
a pebble in your shoe
1/ə pˈɛbəl ˈɪn jˈʊɹ ʃˈu/
idiom
a small persistent annoyance
A small thing that annoys you again and again.
Examples
- That unanswered email has been a pebble in my shoe all day.
- The mistake was small, but it became a pebble in his shoe during the presentation.
- Her comment was a pebble in my shoe—I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Learner examples
- This problem is a pebble in my shoe.
pebble-dash
1/pˈɛbəl dˈæʃ/
fixed phrase
technical
coat wall with pebbles
To cover a wall with plaster and small stones.
Examples
- They decided to pebble-dash the front of the house to protect it from weather.
- The old cottage had peeling paint and cracked pebble-dash.
- He spent the afternoon repairing a patch of pebble-dash near the window.
throw a pebble into the pond
1/θɹˈoʊ ə pˈɛbəl ˈɪntu ðə pˈɑnd/
fixed phrase
literary
cause wider effects indirectly
To do something small that causes bigger changes.
Examples
- Her question was like throwing a pebble into the pond—it changed the whole discussion.
- The article threw a pebble into the pond and sparked weeks of debate.
- One small complaint can be like throwing a pebble into the pond in a tight-knit community.