gutter
word
Definition
A gutter is a long, narrow channel along the edge of a roof or at the side of a street, used to carry away rainwater. It can also refer to the lowest or dirtiest part of something, sometimes used metaphorically.
Usage & Nuances
'Gutter' is most often used for roof or street drainage but can also mean 'the gutter' as a figurative term for poverty or dirtiness. Common collocations: 'in the gutter,' 'clean out the gutters.' In bowling, it refers to the sides of the lane where the ball falls off ('gutter ball').
Example Sentences
The rainwater flows into the gutter.
basic
Leaves are blocking the gutter.
basic
There is a gutter on each side of the street.
basic
He cleaned out the gutters before the storm.
natural
After the party, they felt like they were in the gutter.
natural
My bowling ball went straight into the gutter.
natural