depress

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cast a gloom upon; to sadden; as, his spirits were depressed. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To lessen the activity of; to make dull; embarrass, as trade, commerce, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To lessen in price; to cause to decline in value; to cheapen; to depreciate. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Math.) To reduce (an equation) in a lower degree. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 ]

n. (Med.) An agent or remedy which lowers the vital powers. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Pressed or forced down; lowed; sunk; dejected; dispirited; sad; humbled. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) (a) Concave on the upper side; -- said of a leaf whose disk is lower than the border. (b) Lying flat; -- said of a stem or leaf which lies close to the ground. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) Having the vertical diameter shorter than the horizontal or transverse; -- said of the bodies of animals, or of parts of the bodies. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a depressing manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. depressio: cf. F. dépression. ] 1. The act of depressing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being depressed; a sinking. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A falling in of the surface; a sinking below its true place; a cavity or hollow; as, roughness consists in little protuberances and depressions. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Humiliation; abasement, as of pride. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Dejection; despondency; lowness. [ 1913 Webster ]

In a great depression of spirit. Baker. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Diminution, as of trade, etc.; inactivity; dullness. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Astron.) The angular distance of a celestial object below the horizon. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Math.) The operation of reducing to a lower degree; -- said of equations. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Surg.) A method of operating for cataract; couching. See Couch, v. t., 8. [ 1913 Webster ]

Angle of depression (Geod.), one which a descending line makes with a horizontal plane. --
Depression of the dewpoint (Meteor.), the number of degrees that the dew-point is lower than the actual temperature of the atmosphere. --
Depression of the pole, its apparent sinking, as the spectator goes toward the equator. --
Depression of the visible horizon. (Astron.) Same as Dip of the horizon, under Dip.

Syn. -- Abasement; reduction; sinking; fall; humiliation; dejection; melancholy. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Able or tending to depress or cast down. -- De*press"ive*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

a. (Med.) Depressing or diminishing the capacity for movement, as depressomotor nerves, which lower or inhibit muscular activity. -- n. Any agent that depresses the activity of the motor centers, as bromides, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]