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Eave

Architecture
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The lower edge of a roof that extends beyond a wall. In poetry, it suggests a sheltering overhang at the edge of a statement or scene.

Detailed Definition
An eave is the projecting lower edge of a roof, designed to direct rain away from the walls beneath it. Poetically, it can describe a phrase that extends beyond a central assertion to shelter, qualify, or shadow what follows. An eave-like ending may offer protection without closure, leaving a small margin beyond the main structure. The term is useful for poems attentive to edges, weather, and the subtle ways a line can shield one emotional space from another.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Rain drummed under the eaves” uses eaves to place sound at the roof’s overhanging edge; A poet can write “swallows stitched the eaves with flight” to make the roofline a frame for motion; “Beneath the eaves, the widow waited” uses the sheltered space under a roof as an image of refuge; “Snow softened every eave” makes the projecting roof edge part of a winter visual scene
Additional Notes
Eave can mark a protective margin in a poem: let an image or phrase extend slightly beyond the main statement, creating shelter, suspense, or tonal shade. Compare threshold and overhang.
Also Known As
Eaves Roof Edge Overhang cornice
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