eaves definition

1. 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. "Eaves of the hill."

3. Eyelids or eyelashes. "And closing eaves of wearied eyes.

<medicine>" (Tennyson) Eaves board . The cliff swallow; so called from its habit of building retort-shaped nests of mud under the eaves of buildings. See Cliff swallow. The European swallow.

Origin: 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. Opsa-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.

(01 Mar 1998)