gutter

¹gut·ter

noun \ˈgə-tər\

Definition of GUTTER

1

a : a trough along the eaves to catch and carry off rainwater

b : a low area (as at the edge of a street) to carry off surface water (as to a sewer)

c : a trough or groove to catch and direct something <the gutters of a bowling alley>

2

: a white space formed by the adjoining inside margins of two facing pages (as of a book)

3

: the lowest or most vulgar level or condition of human life

Examples of GUTTER

1. <one of his chores is to clean leaves and sticks out of the gutters before winter sets in>
2. <rainwater running off the road into the gutters>

Origin of GUTTER

Middle English goter, from Anglo-French gutere, goter, from gute drop, from Latin gutta

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to GUTTER

Synonyms

drainpipe, eaves trough, rainspout, spout, trough, waterspout

Related Words

drain, flume, sluice; conduit, duct; aqueduct

Other Building Terms

batten, cistern, hearth, lath, transom, wainscot

Rhymes with GUTTER

butter, clutter, cutter, flutter, mutter, nutter, putter, scutter, shutter, splutter, sputter, strutter, stutter, utter

²gutter

verb

Definition of GUTTER

transitive verb

1

: to cut or wear gutters in

2

: to provide with a gutter

intransitive verb

1

a : to flow in rivulets

b of a candle : to melt away through a channel out of the side of the cup hollowed out by the burning wick

2

: to incline downward in a draft <the candle flame guttering>

First Known Use of GUTTER

14th century

Rhymes with GUTTER

butter, clutter, flutter, mutter, shutter, splutter, sputter, strutter, stutter, utter

³gutter

adjective

Definition of GUTTER

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the gutter; especially : marked by extreme vulgarity, cheapness, or indecency <gutter politics>

Examples of GUTTER

1. <a novel that does a good job of rendering the gutter language of that stratum of society>

First Known Use of GUTTER

15th century

Related to GUTTER

Synonyms

bawdy, blue, coarse, crude, dirty, filthy, foul, gross, obscene, impure, indecent, lascivious, lewd, locker-room, nasty, pornographic, porny, profane, raunchy, ribald, smutty, stag, trashy, unprintable, vulgar, wanton, X-rated

Antonyms

clean, decent, G-rated, nonobscene, wholesome

Related Words

broad, coarse-grained, gamy (or gamey), off, off-color (or off-colored), racy, risqué, salacious, salty, suggestive; barnyard, earthy, scatological; immodest, indecorous, indelicate, low, unbecoming; depraved, kinky, louche, naughty, perverse, perverted, wicked; exceptionable, objectionable, unacceptable, undesirable, unwanted, unwelcome; abhorrent, debasing, disgusting, loathsome, offensive, repellent (also repellant), repugnant, repulsive, revolting; distasteful, obnoxious, unpleasant; blamable, blameworthy, censurable, reprehensible; atrocious, infamous; abusive, scurrilous; hard-core, soft, soft-core

Near Antonyms

priggish, prim, prudish, puritanical, staid, straitlaced (or straightlaced), Victorian; correct, decorous, genteel, nice, polite, proper, respectable, seemly; innocuous, inoffensive; acceptable, agreeable, desirable, pleasant, pleasing, welcome; appropriate, becoming, fit, meet, suitable; immaculate, perfect, pure, spotless, virginal; approved, endorsed (also indorsed), sanctioned

gut·ter

noun \ˈgət-ər\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of GUTTER

: a depressed furrow between body parts (as on the surface between a pair of adjacent ribs or in the dorsal wall of the body cavity on either side of the spinal column)