/ ˈgʌtə(r); NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a long curved channel made of metal or plastic that is fixed under the edge of a roof to carry away the water when it rains :
a blocked / leaking gutter
—picture at house
2.
[ C ] a channel at the edge of a road where water collects and is carried away to drains
3.
the gutter [ sing. ] the bad social conditions or low moral standards sometimes connected with the lowest level of society :
She rose from the gutter to become a great star.
the language of the gutter (= used when swearing)
■ verb
[ v ] ( literary ) ( of a flame or candle ) to burn in an unsteady way
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French gotiere , from Latin gutta a drop; the verb dates from late Middle English , originally meaning cut grooves in and later (early 18th cent.) used of a candle which melts rapidly because it has become channelled on one side.