gutter
/ˈɡʌtə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡʌtər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgə-tər/ (ame, mw) · /ˈɡʌt.ər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡʌt̬.ɚ/ (ame, ipa)
gutter — 名詞
- guttersingular
- guttersplural
1. the long, narrow open channel built along the side of a street that carries rain
排水溝
路邊的排水渠道
the long, narrow open channel built along the side of a street that carries rainwater away to underground drains
After the storm, water rushed along the gutter, carrying leaves and small twigs toward the drain.
暴風雨過後，雨水沿著排水溝沖刷而下，帶著樹葉和小樹枝流向水溝蓋。
collocation: water rushes along the gutter
Mei searched the gutter for the silver earring she had dropped through the metal grate.
Mei 在排水溝裡尋找她從金屬格柵縫隙掉落的銀色耳環。
City workers clear dead leaves from the gutters every autumn to prevent flooding.
市政府工人每年秋天清理排水溝裡的落葉，以防淹水。
A red toy car floated along the gutter after the rain stopped and the water drained away.
雨停之後，一輛紅色的玩具車順著排水溝漂浮，隨著水流慢慢漂走。
Drivers splashed through deep puddles because the clogged gutter could not drain the rainwater quickly.
駕駛人駛過深深的積水，水花四濺，因為堵塞的排水溝無法快速排掉雨水。
文法句型
the gutter
gutter + noun (gutter water, gutter drain)
用法筆記
Often plural (gutters) when referring to the channels on both sides of a street. Frequently paired with verbs like 'clean', 'clear', 'block', or 'overflow'.
常見錯誤
2. a pipe or curved channel fixed under the edge of a roof that collects rainwater
天溝；簷槽
屋簷邊收集雨水的管道
a pipe or curved channel fixed under the edge of a roof that collects rainwater and directs it away from the building's walls
The old house had rusted metal gutters that leaked brown water down the walls each time it rained.
那棟老房子的金屬天溝已經生鏽，每次下雨都會滲出褐色的水沿牆流下。
relative clause: gutters that leaked
Kenji hired a worker to fix the loose gutter section that broke away from the roof in the storm.
Kenji 雇了一名工人來修理那段在暴風雨中從屋頂斷裂的鬆脫簷槽。
Heavy rain made the gutter overflow, soaking the flower bed below the window.
大雨導致天溝滿溢，淹沒了窗戶下方的花圃。
Sofia climbed a ladder to inspect the plastic gutter that had cracked under the weight of snow.
Sofia 爬上梯子檢查那條在積雪重壓下破裂的塑膠天溝。
The old workshop had no gutters, so rainwater poured directly off the roof onto the workers.
那間老舊的工作坊沒有天溝，所以雨水直接從屋頂傾瀉到工人身上。
- downspout
specifically the vertical pipe that carries water down from the roof gutter
- eavestrough
Canadian and some American regions — same thing, different term
文法句型
roof gutter
gutter + noun (gutter pipe)
用法筆記
Usually plural (gutters) for the full system around a building. 'Guttering' is the uncountable noun for the rooftop drainage system as a whole.
3. the poorest or most unpleasant part of human society, where people live in bad c
社會底層
社會中最貧困、最低下的階層
the poorest or most unpleasant part of human society, where people live in bad conditions or behave in morally low ways
The documentary showed how the factory closures dragged families from the middle class into the gutter.
這部紀錄片揭露了工廠倒閉如何讓許多家庭從中產階級跌入社會底層。
collocation: dragged into the gutter
The once-respected newspaper now prints gossip dragged from the gutter of public taste.
這份曾經備受尊敬的報紙如今刊登的盡是從公眾品味的低劣之處挖掘出來的八卦。
figurative: gutter of public taste
Community leaders organized job-training programmes to lift young people out of the gutter.
社區領袖組織了就業培訓計劃，幫助年輕人脫離社會底層。
The novel tells the story of a talented musician who rose from the gutter to become a famous artist.
這本小說描述了一位才華洋溢的音樂家從社會底層崛起，成為知名藝術家的故事。
- depths
more literary; 'the depths of society' emphasises misery rather than moral judgment
- underclass
neutral sociological term for a group excluded from economic opportunity
- slums
refers to actual physical neighbourhoods with poor housing, not a social condition
- high society
the wealthy, upper-class part of society
文法句型
the gutter
from the gutter
out of the gutter
用法筆記
Almost always metaphorical — the physical roadside gutter is extended to represent the lowest social or moral condition. Common in fixed phrases like 'gutter press' and 'gutter politics'.
常見錯誤
4. a narrow groove or passage built into a surface to guide the flow of a liquid or
溝槽
引導液體或物體的狹長凹槽
a narrow groove or passage built into a surface to guide the flow of a liquid or the movement of small objects in a particular direction
The bowling ball curved to the right and dropped into the wooden gutter beside the lane.
保齡球向右彎曲，掉進了球道旁的木製溝槽裡。
Workers carved a narrow gutter in the concrete floor to direct spilled chemicals toward the drain.
工人們在混凝土地板上鑿出一條狹窄的溝槽，將溢出的化學藥品引向排水管。
passive: be + carved — purpose clause with 'to direct'
A beginner player watched helplessly as the ball rolled straight into the gutter on every turn.
初學者眼睜睜地看著球每一輪都直直滾進溝槽裡，卻無能為力。
The marble rolled along a small metal gutter and dropped into the hole with a satisfying clink.
彈珠沿著一條小金屬溝槽滾動，伴隨著清脆的聲響掉進洞裡。
文法句型
a gutter for [object]
gutter + noun
用法筆記
This is a general-purpose term used in specific contexts (bowling, manufacturing, construction). In bowling, 'the gutter' has its own metaphorical use in 'gutter ball' (a ball that falls into the gutter).
gutter — 動詞
- gutterpresent simple I / you / we / they
- gutters3rd person singular
- guttering-ing form
- gutteredpast simple
1. if a flame or candle gutters, it burns unevenly and weakly because of a lack of
忽明忽滅
燭火因風或燃料不足而微弱閃爍
if a flame or candle gutters, it burns unevenly and weakly because of a lack of fuel or a draft of air, often just before going out completely
The candle flame guttered in the sudden draft from the open window before going out.
蠟燭的火焰在從敞開窗戶吹進來的風中忽明忽滅，然後熄滅了。
intransitive: flame + gutter + adverb phrase
As the oil ran low, the lamp began to gutter, casting shaky shadows across the walls.
油量越來越少，油燈開始忽明忽滅，在牆壁上投下搖晃的影子。
Thiago watched the campfire gutter and spark as the midnight wind picked up over the hills.
Thiago 看著營火在午夜的風越過山丘時忽明忽滅、火星四濺。
Omar lit the old lamp, but the wick was too short and the flame guttered almost at once.
Omar 點亮了那盞舊油燈，但燈芯太短，火焰幾乎立刻開始忽明忽滅。
文法句型
gutter (no object)
gutter + adverb (gutter slowly)
用法筆記
Only used for flames, candles, lamps, fire — not electrical lights or bulbs. Describes the moment before the flame dies, not a steady flicker.
常見錯誤
2. to flow in small, thin streams like water finding its way along narrow channels
涓涓流下
像小溪般沿著狹窄渠道緩緩流動
to flow in small, thin streams like water finding its way along narrow channels
Melted wax guttered down the side of the birthday candle and hardened on the cake.
融化的蠟沿著生日蠟燭的側邊涓涓流下，在蛋糕上凝固成塊。
gutter + down [direction]
Rainwater guttered along the cracks in the pavement after the sudden afternoon downpour.
午後驟雨過後，雨水沿著人行道的裂縫涓涓流淌。
Sweat guttered down the runner's forehead as she crossed the finish line in the summer heat.
汗水沿著跑者的額頭涓涓流下，她在炎炎夏日中衝過了終點線。
Melted snow guttered off the greenhouse roof in thin, clear streams on the warm afternoon.
融化的雪在那個溫暖的午後從溫室屋頂涓涓流下，形成清澈的細流。
文法句型
gutter + preposition phrase (down/along/across/off)
用法筆記
Literary or descriptive register — more common in written narrative than everyday conversation. Often used with prepositions of direction (down, along, across, off, into).
3. to provide a building or surface with a gutter or cut a channel into something t
裝設排水槽
為建築物或地面安裝排水系統
to provide a building or surface with a gutter or cut a channel into something to direct the flow of liquid
The team guttered the entire housing complex in two days using lightweight plastic pipes.
工程團隊在兩天內用輕質塑膠排水管為整片住宅區裝設了排水槽。
transitive active: team + guttered + object
Farmers guttered the sloping field to channel irrigation water evenly to each row of rice.
農民在傾斜的田地上開挖排水槽，將灌溉水平均引到每一排稻苗。
Before planting the orchard, workers guttered the hillside to prevent soil erosion during heavy rain.
在種植果園之前，工人們在山坡上開挖排水槽，以防大雨造成土壤流失。
The contractor guttered the warehouse roof with heavy-duty channels to handle the tropical downpours.
包商用重型金屬排水槽為倉庫屋頂安裝了排水系統，以應付熱帶地區的暴雨。
- install gutters
the everyday phrasal equivalent
- fit gutters
British English equivalent
- channel
broader meaning: to cut a passage for liquid, not specific to roof drainage
文法句型
gutter + object (a building / a surface)
be guttered with
用法筆記
A technical or trade verb. In practice, people more often say 'install gutters on' or 'fit gutters to' than use 'gutter' as a verb. The passive ('the building is guttered') is more common than the active voice.
常見錯誤
gutter — 形容詞
- gutterpositive
- gutterercomparative
- gutterestsuperlative
1. relating to or typical of the lowest, most rude, or most unpleasant aspects of s
低俗的
粗鄙、低劣的（用於形容幽默、語言等）
relating to or typical of the lowest, most rude, or most unpleasant aspects of society — used to describe humour, language, or behaviour that is vulgar or lacks moral standards
The comedian's gutter humour offended many audience members with its rude jokes.
那位喜劇演員的低俗幽默以粗魯的笑話冒犯了許多觀眾。
attributive: gutter + humour
Fatima's colleague used gutter language during the client meeting, shocking everyone in the room.
Fatima 的同事在客戶會議上使用低俗語言，震驚了在場的所有人。
Critics dismissed the film as gutter entertainment designed only to shock audiences.
影評人認為這部電影只不過是低俗娛樂，目的只在於用粗鄙的畫面來衝擊觀眾。
The diner's gutter comments about the waitress earned him a warning from the restaurant manager.
那位顧客對女服務生的低俗評論引來了餐廳經理的警告。
- refined
showing good taste and education; opposite of 'gutter' in the taste sense
- high-class
belonging to the upper levels of society
文法句型
gutter + noun
用法筆記
Almost always used before a noun in phrases like 'gutter humour', 'gutter language', 'gutter press', 'gutter politics'. It is a derogatory label — use it with awareness of its negative judgment.