gutter

A gutter is a thing located near the roof of a building or in a street. Its purpose is to carry water away from a building or away from the street.

The gutter on a house sends water to a downspout. From there, the water is lead away from the house.

These are old-fashioned gutters.

• Every spring and fall, I have to clean the gutters on my house.
• My neighbors also have to clean their gutters; otherwise, the gutters become filled with leaves and other debris.
• Gutters have been used in some older city streets for hundreds of years.
• When we visited Freiburg, we noticed gutters (Bächle) filled with flowing water on many of the streets.

A gutter is also located on either side of a lane at a bowling alley.

• Thomas tried to throw a strike, but his ball landed in the gutter.
• He rolled a gutter ball.
• In order to avoid the gutter, roll the ball straight down the middle of the lane.

That ball is headed towards the gutter.

We also use the word "gutter" to describe coarse language and bad behavior

• Victor refused to get in the gutter with the other kids who vandalized a park playground.
• Isabel is well versed in the gutter language she heard as a child growing up in a tough neighborhood.
• That kid’s mind is always in the gutter.
• Get your head out of the gutter. (This is kind of an expression. It means that a person has impure thoughts.)

Click here to go to the Word of the Day page.

This page was published on May 17, 2017.