culvert — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A channel crossing under a road or railway for the draining of water.

   Examples

   A raft of twigs stayed upon a stone, suddenly detached itself, and floated towards the culvert.

   After she left, I ran away for a day, and hid myself, solitary, in a culvert under the railway lines.

   More examples (1)

   It was on the leisurely upswing when, 16 years after we bought our house, a woman driving a fancy S.U.V. jumped the culvert, plowed through the hedge, jumped the culvert again and sped off.

Verb

1. To channel (a stream of water) through a culvert.

   Usage

   • Intransitive
   • Transitive

   Examples

   This led to a great deal of straightening and culverting, which in turn led to a massive loss of biodiversity.

Noun

1. a transverse and totally enclosed drain under a road or railway

   Broader terms

   draindrainpipewaste pipe