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dumps

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be down in the dumps

To be visibly sad or depressed. Molly's been moping around all week, and I have no idea why she's so down in the dumps. Rob has been down in the dumps ever since Gloria broke up with him.

See also: down, dumps

down in the dumps

unhappy She's down in the dumps because all her friends are out of town.

See also: down, dumps

in the dumps

not successful The movie business remains in the dumps, perhaps because of the huge increase in ticket prices.

Usage notes: often said about a lack of financial success

See also: dumps

be down in the dumps

  (informal)

to be unhappy Things hadn't been going so well for her at work and she was feeling a bit down in the dumps.

See also: down, dumps

down in the dumps

Also, down in the mouth. Discouraged, depressed, or sad, as in She's been down in the dumps ever since she lost the match, or What's wrong with him? He's so down in the mouth about everything. The noun dumps has been used for "a state of depression" since the early 1500s, and down in the mouth, alluding to the downturned corners of the mouth as a sign of misery, dates from the mid-1600s.

See also: down, dumps