| Idiom | Down in the Dumps |
|---|---|
| Example | After she lost the election, Kim was down in the dumps. |
| Meaning | sad and depressed |
| Origin | You might think that "dumps" in this saying refers to a garbage dump, but it doesn't. Some word experts think that "dumps" comes from old German words that meant "mental haze," "dullness," or "gloomy." So, if you're in a mental fog because you're so unhappy, you're definitely "down in the dumps." Note the alliteration in this idiom. Similar, older expressions are "down in the mouth" and "down-at-the-heels." |
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