gutter
C1Neutral to informal when used metaphorically.
Definition
Meaning
A shallow trough or channel fixed beneath the edge of a roof to carry away rainwater, or a channel at the side of a street to carry away surface water.
The metaphorically degraded or impoverished conditions or state of life, often used to refer to poverty, obscurity, or moral degradation. In printing, the blank space between facing pages (the inner margins). In bowling, the channels on either side of the lane.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary concrete meaning is architectural/urban. The metaphorical meaning ('the gutter') is a fixed figurative extension implying the lowest, most degraded state, often contrasted with respectability or success.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both share the same core and extended meanings. Spelling is identical. The term 'guttering' (the system of gutters) is slightly more common in UK than US English.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties. The metaphor 'the gutter' carries strong negative connotations of poverty, filth, and social/moral decline.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties for the literal sense. The metaphorical use is standard in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
N (concrete)the + N (metaphorical abstract)N + N (compound: gutter press, gutter ball)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “From the gutter to the stars”
- “Gutter snipe (archaic)”
- “Lie in the gutter”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in construction/roofing contexts ('gutter cleaning service').
Academic
Rare in literal sense. Used in sociology/literary studies for metaphorical analysis of poverty/social conditions.
Everyday
Common for home maintenance ('The gutter is blocked with leaves') and metaphorical expressions ('His morals are in the gutter').
Technical
Used in printing (the inner margin), bowling (the channels), and construction/plumbing (drainage systems).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The candle began to gutter in the draught, spilling wax down its side.
- Their hopes gutter and die as the news arrives.
American English
- The flame guttered violently before going out.
- Support for the policy guttered after the scandal.
adjective
British English
- He despised the gutter journalism of the tabloids.
- The play was full of gutter humour.
American English
- She was a victim of the gutter press.
- His comedy relied on gutter-level insults.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The water flows from the roof into the gutter.
- Leaves are blocking the gutter.
- We need to clean the gutters before the rainy season.
- The newspaper was accused of gutter journalism.
- After losing his job and family, he felt he was staring into the gutter.
- The printer adjusted the gutter margin for the bound book.
- The biography charts her rise from the gutter to international stardom.
- The playwright was criticised for his unflinching portrayal of life in the gutter.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of BUTTER melting and dripping into the GUTTER. Both words rhyme and share 'tt' spelling.
Conceptual Metaphor
LOW STATUS IS DOWN / DEGRADATION IS BEING IN THE GUTTER (e.g., 'His reputation sank into the gutter').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'кишка' (intestine/gut). The English 'gutter' is about drainage, not anatomy. The Russian 'водосток' or 'жёлоб' are closer equivalents. The metaphorical 'дно' or 'подонки' correspond to 'the gutter' in abstract use.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'guter'. Using 'gutter' to mean a small stream or creek (that's a 'gully'). Confusing 'gutter' (channel) with 'sewer' (underground waste pipe).
Practice
Quiz
What does 'gutter press' primarily refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, though it's less common. As a verb, 'gutter' means (of a flame or light) to flicker and burn unsteadily, as if about to go out. It can also be used metaphorically for hopes or feelings dying out.
Not exactly. 'A gutter' is the individual channel. 'Guttering' (uncountable noun) refers to the system or material of gutters (e.g., 'We need to replace the old plastic guttering').
A ball that rolls into the gutter (the channel on either side of the lane) and fails to hit any pins.
It's the inner margin of a page, nearest the binding. The left page's gutter is on the right, and the right page's gutter is on the left. Extra space is added here so text isn't lost in the binding.