¦ noun
1. a shallow trough beneath the edge of a roof, or a channel at the side of a street, for carrying off rainwater.
technical a groove or channel for flowing liquid.
2. (the gutter) a poor or squalid existence or environment.
3. the blank space between facing pages of a book or between adjacent columns of type or stamps in a sheet.
¦ verb
1. (of a flame) flicker and burn unsteadily.
2. archaic make channels in.
Origin
ME: from OFr. gotiere, from L. gutta 'a drop'.