Eaves (?), n. pl. [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.]
1. Arch.
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.
[Obs.] "
Eaves of the hill."
Wyclif.
3.
Eyelids or eyelashes.
And closing eaves of wearied eyes.
Tennyson.
Eaves board Arch., an arris fillet, or a thick board with a feather edge, nailed across the rafters at the eaves of a building, to raise the lower course of slates a little, or to receive the lowest course of tiles; -- called also eaves catch and eaves lath. -- Eaves channel, Eaves gutter, Eaves trough. Same as Gutter,
1. -- Eaves molding Arch., a molding immediately below the eaves, acting as a cornice or part of a cornice. -- Eaves swallow Zool.. (a) The cliff swallow; -- so called from its habit of building retort-shaped nests of mud under the eaves of buildings. See Cliff swallow, under Cliff. (b) The European swallow.
© Webster 1913.