down in the dumps
English
Alternative forms
- in the dumps
Etymology
From dump “a dull, gloomy state of the mind.”
Pronunciation
Audio (AU) (file)
Adjective
down in the dumps (comparative more down in the dumps, superlative most down in the dumps)
- (idiomatic) Sad; lacking engagement or enthusiasm.
- 1886, Edward Payson Roe, chapter 2, in He Fell In Love With His Wife:
- "You've got down in the dumps and can't see what's sensible and to your own advantage."
- 2009, Brian McVicar, "Some in Mich. turn to ice fishing as economy dives," chicagotribune.com, 2 Feb. (retrieved 3 Feb 2009):
- "Being out of work sometimes makes you feel down in the dumps and being out here with my buddies helps."
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Synonyms
- crestfallen, depressed, downhearted, listless, low-spirited, melancholy, unhappy
Translations
sad
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