gutter-snipe

A young gutter-snipe watches the street vendors from a doorway.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A street urchin: "gutter-snipe" refers to a child who lives or spends most of their time on the streets, often associated with poverty, neglect, or vagrancy. The term implies a person of low social status, typically from the poorest parts of a city.
   • A contemptible person: In derogatory or informal use, "gutter-snipe" can describe a person regarded as vulgar, mean, or lacking in manners or refinement.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The novel tells the story of a gutter-snipe who rises from poverty to become a successful businessman. (A street child from a poor background.)
  • He called the rude beggar a gutter-snipe, insulting his appearance and behaviour. (A derogatory term for a person considered low-class or offensive.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be a gutter-snipe": to be a child of the streets, often implying a lack of proper upbringing or education.

  • In Victorian London, many gutter-snipes survived by begging and petty theft. (Children living in extreme urban poverty.)

• "to speak like a gutter-snipe": to use coarse or vulgar language, as if from the streets.

  • His language was that of a gutter-snipe, full of curses and insults. (Crude, unrefined speech.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gutter child (n): a synonym for "gutter-snipe", referring to a child living in the streets.

  • The orphanage took in gutter children from the slums. (Children from impoverished urban areas.)

• Snipe (n): a type of bird; in "gutter-snipe", the word "snipe" metaphorically suggests a scavenger or something that darts about in dirty places.

Synonyms

• Street urchin: a child who lives or roams the streets, often homeless.
• Ragamuffin: a child in ragged, dirty clothing.
• Waif: a homeless or neglected child.

Related Idioms

• "born in the gutter": to be born into extreme poverty or low social status.

  • He was born in the gutter, but he worked hard to escape his circumstances. (Originating from a very poor background.)

• "gutter press": journalism that focuses on sensationalism and scandal, often considered low-class or vulgar.

  • The gutter press published stories about the celebrity's private life without any facts. (Sensationalist, low-quality journalism.)

Additional Notes

• Historical context: The term "gutter-snipe" was especially common in 19th-century British literature, describing the poorest children of urban slums, often depicted as dirty, mischievous, and resourceful.
• Modern usage: Today, the word is considered old-fashioned and highly derogatory. It is rarely used in polite conversation, and when used, it carries strong negative connotations of classism and contempt.