depress

English edit

Etymology edit

From Middle English depressen, from Old French depresser, from Latin dēpressus, perfect participle of dēprimō (“to press down, to weigh down”), from dē- (“off, away, down, out”) +‎ premō (“to press”).

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): /dɪˈpɹɛs/
- Audio (Southern England) (file)
Rhymes: -ɛs

Verb edit

depress (third-person singular simple present depresses, present participle depressing, simple past and past participle depressed)

To press down.
Depress the upper lever to start the machine.
- 1947 January and February, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 39:
  As to the fireman, the sight of him at work, swinging round with his shovelful of coal and at the same moment lightly depressing his right heel and so working the pedal which causes the steam-operated firedoors to open like magic in front of the shovel, was always a pleasure.
To make depressed, sad or bored.
Winter depresses me.
(economics) To cause a depression or a decrease in parts of the economy.
Lower productivity will eventually depress wages.
To bring down or humble; to abase (pride, etc.).
(mathematics) To reduce (an equation) in a lower degree.