gutter

views updated May 18 2018

gut·ter / ˈgətər/ • n. a shallow trough fixed beneath the edge of a roof for carrying off rainwater. ∎  a channel at the side of a street for carrying off rainwater. ∎  (the gutter) used to refer to a poor or squalid background or environment: only moneyed privilege had kept him out of the gutter. ∎ technical a groove or channel for flowing liquid. ∎  the blank space between facing pages of a book or between adjacent columns of type or stamps in a sheet. ∎  a channel on either side of a lane in a bowling alley.• v. 1. [intr.] (of a candle or flame) flicker and burn unsteadily: the candles had almost guttered out.2. [tr.] archaic channel or furrow with something such as streams or tears: my cheeks are guttered with tears. ∎  [intr.] (gutter down) stream down: the raindrops gutter down her visage.

gutter

views updated May 29 2018

gutter †watercourse XIII; shallow trough to carry away water XIV. — AN. gotere, OF. gotiere (mod. gouttiére) :- Rom. *guttāria (cf. -ARY), f. L. gutta drop.
Hence gutter vb. channel XIV; stream XVI; (of a candle) melt rapidly by being channelled on one side XVIII. gutter-snipe common snipe, also called mire snipe; gatherer of refuse, street urchin. XIX. f. gutter in dial. sense of ‘mud, filth’.

gutter

views updated Jun 11 2018

gutter. Channel for taking water away, e.g. at the eaves of a roof. It may take several forms, e.g. be shaped like a cyma recta moulding, and is usually of metal.