depression
NounOpen English WordNet
Noun (10)depressions
- a mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activityOpposite elationType of psychological state, psychological conditionKinds dejection, melancholy, slough of despond, low spirits, melancholia, blues, funk
- a long-term economic state characterized by unemployment and low prices and low levels of trade and investmentSynonyms: slumpeconomic crisisType of economic condition, crisisExamples Great Depression
- a sunken or depressed geological formationSynonyms: natural depressionOpposite elevationType of geological formation, formationKinds valley, trough, hole, bed, lowland, sinkhole, trench, basin, crater
- sad feelings of gloom and inadequacyType of sadness, unhappinessKinds despondency, helplessness, dysphoria, demoralization, oppression
- a period during the 1930s when there was a worldwide economic depression and mass unemploymentSynonyms: Great DepressionInstance of historic period, age
- an air mass of lower pressure; often brings precipitation“a low moved in over night bringing sleet and snow”Synonyms: lowType of air massPart of cyclone
- a state of depression and anhedonia so severe as to require clinical interventionSynonyms: depressive disorderclinical depression
- a concavity in a surface produced by pressing“he left the impression of his fingers in the soft mud”Synonyms: impressionimprint
- angular distance below the horizon (especially of a celestial object)
- pushing down“depression of the space bar on the typewriter”
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: L. depressio: cf. F. dépression.
1. The act of depressing.
2. The state of being depressed; a sinking.
3. A falling in of the surface; a sinking below its true place; a cavity or hollow; as, roughness consists in little protuberances and depressions.
4. Humiliation; abasement, as of pride.
5. Dejection; despondency; lowness.
In a great depression of spirit.— Sir Richard Baker
6. Diminution, as of trade, etc.; inactivity; dullness.
7. Astronomy The angular distance of a celestial object below the horizon.
8. Mathematics The operation of reducing to a lower degree; — said of equations.
9. Surgery A method of operating for cataract; couching. See Couch, transitive verb, 8.
Angle of depression Geod., one which a descending line makes with a horizontal plane. — Depression of the dewpoint Meteor., the number of degrees that the dew-point is lower than the actual temperature of the atmosphere. — Depression of the pole, its apparent sinking, as the spectator goes toward the equator. — Depression of the visible horizon. Astronomy Same as Dip of the horizon, under Dip.
Synonyms: Abasement; reduction; sinking; fall; humiliation; dejection; melancholy.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54