gley
1
9.9
Soil that stays wet and turns grey because water cannot drain
- noun
- /ɡleɪ/
- Specialized
:
gley
- The beginning of maturity is to know that the "best-laid schemes o' mice and men gang aft a-gley."
Examples
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The engineer studied the gley in the area to understand the drainage issues.
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The fields were covered in gley, making it difficult for farmers to plant crops.
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As we walked through the marsh, we noticed the distinct gley soil under our feet.
How Waterlogged
Surface Forms
Etymology
Gley names a type of wet, grey soil that forms where water does not drain away. The name likely comes from old northern words for wet, sticky ground, so a helpful way to remember it is to think of 'grey' mud that stays wet and hard to work with.