dictionary definitions for "depress"


From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Depress \De*press"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Depressed; p. pr. &
     vb. n. Depressing.] [L. depressus, p. p. of deprimere; de-
     + premere to press. See Press.]
     1. To press down; to cause to sink; to let fall; to lower;
        as, to depress the muzzle of a gun; to depress the eyes.
        "With lips depressed." --Tennyson.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To bring down or humble; to abase, as pride.
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     3. To cast a gloom upon; to sadden; as, his spirits were
        depressed.
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     4. To lessen the activity of; to make dull; embarrass, as
        trade, commerce, etc.
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     5. To lessen in price; to cause to decline in value; to
        cheapen; to depreciate.
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     6. (Math.) To reduce (an equation) in a lower degree.
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     To depress the pole (Naut.), to cause the sidereal pole to
        appear lower or nearer the horizon, as by sailing toward
        the equator.
  
     Syn: To sink; lower; abase; cast down; deject; humble;
          degrade; dispirit; discourage.
          [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Depress \De*press"\, a. [L. depressus, p. p.]
     Having the middle lower than the border; concave. [Obs.]
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           If the seal be depress or hollow.        --Hammond.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

  depress
      v 1: lower someone's spirits; make downhearted; "These news
           depressed her"; "The bad state of her child's health
           demoralizes her" [syn: depress, deject, cast down,
           get down, dismay, dispirit, demoralize,
           demoralise] [ant: elate, intoxicate, lift up, {pick
           up}, uplift]
      2: lower (prices or markets); "The glut of oil depressed gas
         prices"
      3: cause to drop or sink; "The lack of rain had depressed the
         water level in the reservoir" [syn: lower, depress]
      4: press down; "Depress the space key" [syn: press down,
         depress]
      5: lessen the activity or force of; "The rising inflation
         depressed the economy"


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