Dictionary of American idioms

IN THE GUTTER

in the gutter: translation

*in the gutter
Fig.[of a person] in a low state; poor and homeless. (*Typically:be\in the gutter; fall [into]\in the gutter; putsomeone[into]\in the gutter.) •

You had better straighten out your life, or you'll end in the gutter.

His bad habits put him into the gutter.