eave
noun
Meaning
The lower edge of a roof that projects beyond the wall of a building.
Examples
- Icicles hung dangerously from the eave after the winter storm.
- Birds built a small nest tucked safely under the eave of the garage.
Synonyms: edge, overhang, soffit
Phrases for eave
Natural phrases and collocations with eave. See examples, avoid awkward combinations, and learn how to use eave in context. The lower edge of a roof that projects beyond the wall of a building.
The edge of a roof
Eave is the singular form, but eaves is much more common when we describe a whole roof or building.
- wide eaves (noun phrase): Roof edges that extend a long way beyond the walls.
Wide eaves keep the upstairs rooms cooler in summer.
- overhanging eaves (noun phrase): Eaves that project beyond the outside wall.
The cottage has low, overhanging eaves.
- the eaves of the house (of phrase): The roof edges belonging to a particular building.
Workers repaired the eaves of the house after the storm.
Below the roof edge
These phrases describe the narrow sheltered area under the roof or water falling from it.
- under the eaves (prepositional phrase): In the sheltered space immediately below the roof edge.
Swallows built a nest under the eaves.
- beneath the eaves (prepositional phrase): A slightly more formal alternative to under the eaves.
A row of small windows sits beneath the eaves.
- drip from the eaves (verb pattern): For rainwater to fall from the edge of a roof.
Rainwater dripped from the eaves onto the path.
Sentence frames
- The building has ___ eaves.: Add an adjective that describes their size, height, shape, or material.
The building has deep wooden eaves.
- Something is under the eaves.: Use this frame for a sheltered object, animal, opening, or decoration.
A security camera is mounted under the eaves.