gut|ter

gut|ter¹ «GUHT uhr», noun, adjective, verb.

–n.

1. a channel or ditch along the side of a street or road to carry off water; low part of a street beside the sidewalk. SYNONYM(S): conduit, duct.

2. a channel or trough along or under the lower edge of a roof to carry off rain water: »

The gutters could not take the water from the temporary roof.

3. a furrow or track made by running water.

4. a channel; groove: »

the gutters on either side of a bowling alley.

5. Figurative. a low, poor, or wretched place: »

a child of the gutter.

6. Printing. the white space formed by the inner margins of two facing pages of a book.

7. Philately. the blank spaces between the stamps on a sheet where they are separated or perforated.

–adj. Informal.

1. of the lowest type or character; base or vulgar: »

gutter language. Such gutter tactics are bound to backfire (New York Times).

SYNONYM(S): vile.

2. of low value; cheap; sensational; lurid: »

gutter journalism. The “gutter press” were dubbed in America as “yellow press” (London Times).

–v.t.

1. to form gutters in; furnish with gutters.

2. to extinguish: »

... the sternness of her command to buckle seat belts and gutter cigarettes (Harper's).

3. to cu: »

Gutter your dog (New Yorker).

–v.i.

1. a) to flow or melt in streams: »

The candle guttered when the melted wax ran down its sides. Water guttered down the side of the hill.

b) Figurative: »

His screen career, for all practical purposes, had guttered out (Harper's).

2. to become channeled.

3. to form gutters.

╂[< Old French goutiere < goute, earlier gote drop < Latin gutta]

gut|ter² «GUHT uhr», noun.

a person or thing that guts: »

The fish gutters refuse to be photographed (Sunday Times).

╂[< gut + -er¹]