Definition

Noun: - Broken rock used for repairing or making roads: "Road metal" refers to crushed stone or aggregate, typically of a specific size and hardness, that is used as a foundational or surfacing material in road construction and maintenance.

Usage

"Road metal" is a technical term used primarily in civil engineering, construction, and road maintenance contexts. It describes the specific material, not the process or the finished road.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The county ordered several tons of road metal to repair the washout.
  • The quality of the road metal is crucial for the durability of the pavement.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in specifications and contracts for public works projects.
• It can be specified by rock type (e.g., granite road metal) or by size gradation.

Variants and Related Words

• Aggregate (n): A broader term for granular material like sand, gravel, or crushed stone used in construction, which includes road metal.
• Crushed stone (n): A common synonym for road metal.
• Ballast (n): While often used for railway beds, it can sometimes refer to similar coarse stone used in road foundations.

Synonyms

• Crushed rock
• Stone aggregate
• Macadam (historically, this referred to a specific type of road construction using layered stone)

Notes

• "Road metal" is a compound noun. The word "metal" here uses an older, broader meaning related to "materials" or "substance," not specifically to metallic elements.
• It is not a phrasal verb, and no common idioms use this specific term.

Noun

1. broken rock used for repairing or making roads