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Gutter vs Drain - What's the difference?

gutter | drain |

In transitive terms the difference between gutter and drain

is that gutter is to cut or form into small longitudinal hollows; to channel while drain is to draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out or off; hence, to exhaust.

As nouns the difference between gutter and drain

is that gutter is a prepared channel in a surface, especially at the side of a road adjacent to a curb, intended for the drainage of water while drain is a conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise contained volume.

As verbs the difference between gutter and drain

is that gutter is to flow or stream; to form gutters while drain is to lose liquid.

gutter

English

(Street gutter)

Etymology 1

(etyl) gotere, from (etyl) goutiere (French

Noun

(en noun)
  • A prepared channel in a surface, especially at the side of a road adjacent to a curb, intended for the drainage of water.
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  • A ditch along the side of a road.
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  • A duct or channel beneath the eaves of a building to carry rain water; eavestrough.
    • The gutters must be cleared of leaves a few times a year.
  • A groove down the sides of a bowling lane.
  • A large groove (commonly behind animals) in a barn used for the collection and removal of animal excrement.
  • Any narrow channel or groove, such as one formed by erosion in the vent of a gun from repeated firing.
  • A space between printed columns of text.
  • (philately) An unprinted space between rows of stamps.
  • (British) A drainage channel.
  • The notional locus of things, acts, or events which are distasteful, ill bred or morally questionable.
  • (figuratively) A low, vulgar state.
    • Get your mind out of the gutter .
    What kind of gutter language is that? I ought to wash your mouth out with soap.
    Derived terms
    * gutter ball, gutterball * gutter member * guttermouth * gutter plane * guttersnipe * gutter stick
    See also
    (pedia) * gout

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To flow or stream; to form gutters.
  • (of a candle) To melt away by having the molten wax run down along the side of the candle.
  • (of a small flame) To flicker as if about to be extinguished.
  • To send (a bowling ball) into the gutter, not hitting any pins.
  • To supply with a gutter or gutters.
    • (Dryden)
  • To cut or form into small longitudinal hollows; to channel.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who or that which guts.
  • * 1921 , Bernie Babcock, The Coming of the King (page 151)
    • A Galilean Rabbi? When did this Province of diggers in dirt and gutters of fish send forth Rabbis? Thou makest a jest.
  • * 2013 , Don Keith, ?Shelley Stewart, Mattie C.'s Boy: The Shelley Stewart Story (page 34)
    • An old, rusty coat hanger made a rudimentary fish-gutter .
    ----

    drain

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise contained volume.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-03, volume=101, issue=2, page=114, magazine=(American Scientist)
    • , author=Frank Fish, George Lauder , title= Not Just Going with the Flow , passage=An extreme version of vorticity is a vortex . The vortex is a spinning, cyclonic mass of fluid, which can be observed in the rotation of water going down a drain , as well as in smoke rings, tornados and hurricanes.}}
  • An access point or conduit for rainwater that drains directly downstream in a (drainage) basin without going through sewers or water treatment in order to prevent or belay floods.
  • Something consuming resources and providing nothing in return.
  • (label) An act of urination.
  • (label) The name of one terminal of a field effect transistor (FET).

    • Derived terms

    * circle the drain * down the drain * drain fly

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To lose liquid.
    • The clogged sink drained slowly.
  • To flow gradually.
    • The water of low ground drains off.
  • (ergative) To cause liquid to flow out of.
    • Please drain the sink. It's full of dirty water.
  • (ergative) To convert a perennially wet place into a dry one.
    • They had to drain the swampy land before the parking lot could be built.
  • To deplete of energy or resources.
    • The stress of this job is really draining me.
  • To draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out or off; hence, to exhaust.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • Fountains drain the water from the ground adjacent.
  • * Motley
    • But it was not alone that he drained their treasure and hampered their industry.
  • (obsolete) To filter.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • Salt water, drained through twenty vessels of earth, hath become fresh.
  • (pinball) To fall off the bottom of the playfield.
  • * 1990 , Steven A. Schwartz, Compute's Nintendo Secrets
    • When a ball finally drains , it's gulped down by a giant gator beneath the set of flippers.

    Derived terms

    * drainage * drain the lizard (vulgar)

    Anagrams

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