Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Eaves?

\Eaves\, n. pl. [OE. evese, pl. eveses, AS. efese eaves, brim, brink; akin to OHG. obisa, opasa, porch, hall, MHG. obse eaves, Icel. ups, Goth. ubizwa porch; cf. Icel. upsar-dropi, OSw. ops["a]-drup water dropping from the eaves. Probably from the root of E. over. The s of eaves is in English regarded as a plural ending, though not so in Saxon. See {Over}, and cf. {Eavesdrop}.] 1. (Arch.) The edges or lower borders of the roof of a building, which overhang the walls, and cast off the water that falls on the roof. 2. Brow; ridge. [Obs.] ``Eaves of the hill.'' --Wyclif. 3. Eyelids or eyelashes. And closing eaves of wearied eyes. --Tennyson. {Eaves board} (Arch.), an arris fillet, or a thick board with a feather edge, nailed across the rafters at the eaves of a building, to raise the lower course of slates a little, or to receive the lowest course of tiles; -- called also {eaves catch} and {eaves lath}. {Eaves channel}, {Eaves gutter}, {Eaves trough}. Same as {Gutter}, 1. {Eaves molding} (Arch.), a molding immediately below the eaves, acting as a cornice or part of a cornice. {Eaves swallow} (Zo["o]l.). (a) The cliff swallow; -- so called from its habit of building retort-shaped nests of mud under the eaves of buildings. See {Cliff swallow}, under {Cliff}. (b) The European swallow.