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doldrums

   Also found in: Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
dol·drums  (dldrmz, dôl-, dl-)
pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
1.
a. A period of stagnation or slump.
b. A period of depression or unhappy listlessness.
2.
a. A region of the ocean near the equator, characterized by calms, light winds, or squalls.
b. The weather conditions characteristic of these regions of the ocean.

[From obsolete doldrum, dullard, alteration (influenced by tantrum) of Middle English dold, past participle of dullen, to dull, from dul, dull; see dull.]

doldrums
Noun
the doldrums
1.
a. a feeling of depression
b. a state of inactivity
2. a belt of sea along the equator noted for absence of winds [probably from Old English dol dull]

doldrums  (dldrmz)
A region of the globe found over the oceans near the equator in the intertropical convergence zone and having weather characterized variously by calm air, light winds, or squalls and thunderstorms. Hurricanes originate in this region.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.doldrums - a state of inactivity (in business or art etc); "economic growth of less than 1% per year is considered to be economic stagnation"
artistic creation, artistic production, art - the creation of beautiful or significant things; "art does not need to be innovative to be good"; "I was never any good at art"; "he said that architecture is the art of wasting space beautifully"
business enterprise, commercial enterprise, business - the activity of providing goods and services involving financial and commercial and industrial aspects; "computers are now widely used in business"
inaction, inactiveness, inactivity - the state of being inactive
2.doldrums - a belt of calms and light winds between the northern and southern trade winds of the Atlantic and Pacific
air current, current of air, wind - air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure; "trees bent under the fierce winds"; "when there is no wind, row"; "the radioactivity was being swept upwards by the air current and out into the atmosphere"

doldrums >> the doldrums blues, depression, dumps (informal) gloom, boredom, apathy, inertia, stagnation, inactivity, tedium, dullness, the hump Brit. (informal) ennui, torpor, lassitude, listlessness
Translations
doldrums [ˈdɔldrəmz] npl to be in the doldrums [person] → estar abatido; [business] → estar estancado
doldrums [ˈdɔldrəmz] npl to be in the doldrums → avoir le cafard; être dans le marasme
doldrums [ˈdɔldrəmz] npl to be in the doldrums (person) → niedergeschlagen sein;
(business) → in einer Flaute stecken
doldrums [ˈdɔldrəmz] npl (fig): to be in the doldrums → essere giù; [business] → attraversare un momento difficile


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
I understood quite a good deal of First Principles, but his Biology took the wind out of my sails, and his Psychology left me butting around in the doldrums for many a day.
The day the Mariposa entered the doldrums, Martin was more miserable than ever.
 
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