Guttered Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
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guttered
[หษกสtษrd ]
Definition
emotional state
Guttered refers to the act of being deeply distressed or emotionally drained, often as a result of heartbreak or disappointment. It describes a state where someone feels as if their emotional reserves are empty, much like a gutter that is dry. This term conveys the sense of losing one's spirit or enthusiasm due to adverse circumstances. It might also imply a sense of defeat or helplessness.
Synonyms
dejected, despondent, disheartened, dismayed.
Examples of usage
- After hearing the bad news, she felt completely guttered.
- He was guttered when his team lost the final match.
- The movie's ending left the audience feeling guttered.
Translations
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Interesting Facts
Literature
- The term is often used in poetry and prose to convey imagery of decline or an ending, such as a candle guttering out, reflecting despair or loss.
- Famous authors, including Edgar Allan Poe, have used the imagery of guttered flames to symbolize dark themes like death and hopelessness.
Psychology
- In a metaphorical sense, 'guttered' can relate to feelings of loss of motivation or passion, akin to a flame losing its intensity.
- The association of 'guttered' with fading light mirrors a psychological state where enthusiasm or hope is diminished.
Visual Arts
- Artists often use the image of a guttering candle as a symbol of transience, capturing the fleeting nature of life and beauty in contrasts of light and shadow.
- In paintings, the representation of guttered candles invokes a sense of nostalgia and evokes emotional responses about the passage of time.
Pop Culture
- In film and literature, a guttered flame often signifies moments of danger or the impending end of a significant character's journey.
- Various horror genres utilize the concept of a guttered candle to build suspense, as it suggests the dwindling of hope or safety.
Origin of 'guttered'
Main points about word origin
- The word comes from the Old French 'guter', which means to 'drip or flow' and is related to the English word 'gutter', referring to channels for water.
- It originally described the dripping of water or other substances, and its use expanded to describe any situation where something dwindles or goes out.
The term 'guttered' is derived from the word 'gutter,' which originally refers to a channel for water. The evolution of its meaning has moved from a physical state representing something that is empty or abandoned to a metaphorical application describing emotional desolation. Over time, the word has come to embody feelings of hopelessness and disappointment. This transition likely emerged from the analogy that just as a gutter can become filled with debris and empty of water, a person's spirit can also feel weighed down by emotional burdens, rendering them devoid of motivation or joy. This semantic shift has been noted in literature and colloquial speech, particularly within contexts that address mental health and emotional well-being.