asphalt

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A brownish-black solid or semisolid mixture of bitumens obtained from native deposits or as a petroleum byproduct, used in paving, roofing, and waterproofing.
2. n. Mixed asphalt and crushed stone gravel or sand, used for paving or roofing.
3. v. To pave or coat with asphalt.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Same as asphaltum.
2. n. A bituminous material, employed for the covering of roofs and arches, for the lining of tanks, for pavement and flooring, and as a cement. See asphaltum. In the United States the substance so named is commonly made of refuse tar from gas-houses, mixed with slaked lime and gravel. Also called asphaltic cement.
3. n. A thick solution of the finest asphaltum in spirits of turpentine, used by opticians. It is used for making cells on pieces of glass, in which objects may be preserved in liquid, for examination with the microscope.
4. To cover or treat with asphalt.

Wiktionary

1. n. A sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid, composed almost entirely of bitumen, that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits.
2. n. An abbreviation for asphalt concrete, a hard ground covering used for roads and walkways.
3. v. To pave with asphalt.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. Mineral pitch, Jews' pitch, or compact native bitumen. It is brittle, of a black or brown color and high luster on a surface of fracture; it melts and burns when heated, leaving no residue. It occurs on the surface and shores of the Dead Sea, which is therefore called Asphaltites, or the Asphaltic Lake. It is found also in many parts of Asia, Europe, and America. See bitumen.
2. n. A composition of bitumen, pitch, lime, and gravel, used for forming pavements, and as a water-proof cement for bridges, roofs, etc.; asphaltic cement. Artificial asphalt is prepared from coal tar, lime, sand, etc.
3. v. To cover with asphalt

WordNet 3.0

1. n. mixed asphalt and crushed gravel or sand; used especially for paving but also for roofing
2. n. a dark bituminous substance found in natural beds and as residue from petroleum distillation; consists mainly of hydrocarbons
3. v. cover with tar or asphalt