runnel
/ˈrʌn(ə)l
/noun
1A gutter: muddy lanes with runnels for effluent...
- Trickling water from a wall fountain flows through a stair-stepped runnel (water channel) into the patio below to provide soothing sound.
- A glass bottomed runnel, which collects water during the short and torrential rains, doubles as a skylight over a glass shower and over the guest room below.
- In keeping with a project goal to make greening strategies visible to the public, the rainwater not retained by the vegetated roof is directed via surface runnels to water storage.
1.1A brook or rill.In general, he has a predilection for the rills and runnels of the past, the tributaries of history rather than what you might consider to be its mainstreams....
- Now the river is no more than a runnel, and his paintings articulate the artist's inner musings and memories.
- His dumpy women bathers at the Hermitage and the Leiden Museum sit under such trees, with Rembrandtian simplicity dabbling their feet in mere runnels of water.
1.2A small stream of a particular liquid: a runnel of sweat...
- Mr Spire seemed of the same mind and was washing his hands in a runnel of dew among a garble of tree roots.
- The rivulets and runnels of Celtic Park are lined with the pictures, mementoes and iconography of former glory.
- ‘Amen,’ Joe echoed and bowed his head and tears slowly slid down his cheeks forming runnels through the dust that had coated his skin as a result of his labours.
Origin
Late 16th century (denoting a brook or rill): variant of dialect rindle, influenced by the verb run.