valley Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
vale.

OE. vale, valeie, OF. valée, valede, F. vallée, LL. vallata, L. vallis, valles. See Vale.

plural Valleys

The space inclosed between ranges of hills or mountains; the strip of land at the bottom of the depressions intersecting a country, including usually the bed of a stream, with frequently broad alluvial plains on one or both sides of the stream. Also used figuratively.
The valley of the shadow of death. Ps. xxiii. 4.

Sweet interchange Of hill and valley, rivers, woods, and plains. Milton.
✍ Deep and narrow valleys with abrupt sides are usually the results of erosion by water, and are called gorges, ravines, cañons, gulches, etc.
(Arch.) (a) The place of meeting of two slopes of a roof, which have their plates running in different directions, and form on the plan a reëntrant angle. (b) The depression formed by the meeting of two slopes on a flat roof.