Whiteisms
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Etymology Journal ยท D

Down in the dumps

Meaning

To be feeling sad, depressed, or generally low in spirits. It is a state of feeling gloomy or uninspired.

Sympathetic, sad

Used in a sentence

  • He has been feeling down in the dumps ever since his job moved across the country.
  • If you are feeling down in the dumps, come over for some pie.
  • The rainy weather always makes me feel a bit down in the dumps.

The backstory

The word 'dumps' originally referred to a state of melancholy or low spirits as early as the sixteenth century. It has no relation to a physical trash heap, though the image fits perfectly.

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