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doldrums

   Also found in: Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.02 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 [ˈdɒldrəmz]
n
the
1. a depressed or bored state of mind
2. a state of inactivity or stagnation
3. (Earth Sciences / Physical Geography)
a.  a belt of light winds or calms along the equator
b.  the weather conditions experienced in this belt, formerly a hazard to sailing vessels
[probably from Old English dol dull, influenced by tantrum]

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
in the doldrums slow, quiet, slack, static, sluggish, stagnant, inactive, inert The economy is in the doldrums.
the doldrums blues, depression, dumps (informal), gloom, boredom, apathy, inertia, stagnation, inactivity, tedium, dullness, the hump (Brit. informal), ennui, torpor, lassitude, listlessness He had been through the doldrums.
Translations
doldrums [ˈdɒldrəmz] NPL (Naut) → zona f de las calmas ecuatoriales
to be in the doldrums [person] → estar abatido; [business] → estar estancado (St Ex) → estar en calma
doldrums [ˈdɒldrəmz] npl
to be in the doldrums [economy] → être dans le marasme
to be in the economic doldrums [country] → être dans le marasme économique
to be in the political doldrums [party] → être dans le marasme politique
doldrums
pl
(Geog, area) → Kalmengürtel mor -zone f; (weather) → Windstille f, → Kalme f
to be in the doldrums (people)Trübsal blasen; (business etc)in einer Flaute stecken
doldrums [ˈdɒldrəmz] npl (fig) to be in the doldrums (person) → essere giù (di corda); (business) → attraversare un momento difficile
doldrums [ˈdɒldrəmz] npl (fig) to be in the doldrums (person) → essere giù (di corda); (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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