gutter

Noun

1. A prepared channel in a surface, especially at the side of a road adjacent to a curb, intended for the drainage of water.
2. A ditch along the side of a road.
3. A duct or channel beneath the eaves of a building to carry rain water; eavestrough.
4. A groove down the sides of a bowling lane.
5. A large groove (commonly behind animals) in a barn used for the collection and removal of animal excrement.
6. Any narrow channel or groove, such as one formed by erosion in the vent of a gun from repeated firing.
7. A space between printed columns of text.
8. One of a number of pieces of wood or metal, grooved in the centre, used to separate the pages of type in a form.
9. An unprinted space between rows of stamps.
10. (British) A drainage channel.
11. The notional locus of things, acts, or events that are distasteful, ill-bred, or morally questionable.
12. (figuratively) A low, vulgar state.
13. A space between comic strip panels.

Verb

1. To flow or stream; to form gutters.
2. To melt away by having the molten wax run down along the side of the candle.
3. To flicker as if about to be extinguished.
4. (transitive) To send (a bowling ball) into the gutter, not hitting any pins.
5. (transitive) To supply with a gutter or gutters.
6. (transitive) To cut or form into small longitudinal hollows; to channel.
7. (transitive, uncommon) To make worse; to show emphasis that something has gotten worse.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɡʌt.ə/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: gutter

Cognate with French: gouttière

In summary

From Middle English gutter, guttur, goter, from Anglo-Norman guttere, from Old French goutiere (French gouttière), ultimately from Latin gutta (“drop”).

Synonyms

ditch

drain

sewer

channel

trench

canal

spout

gully

sluice

trough

downspout

eaves

groove

moat

watercourse

chute

flute

🪈

flow

toilet

🚽

launder

irrigation canal

rainspout

trickle down

gutter spout

small canal

stream

water pipe

drainage

pour

run

waterspout

water trough

floodplain

flitter

flicker

flick

flash

leak

flare

discreditable

cleave

flap

kennel

filter

dance

💃

lave

indent

luff

feed

grave

🪦

Translations

caniveau

gouttière

Rinne

Gosse

cunetta

Dachrinne

rynna

rynsztok

canalón

grondaia

oluk

goot

Regenrinne

solco

Rinnstein