/ dɪˈpres; NAmE / verb
1.
to make sb sad and without enthusiasm or hope :
[ vn ]
Wet weather always depresses me.
[ vn to inf ]
It depresses me to see so many young girls smoking.
2.
[ vn ] to make trade, business, etc. less active :
The recession has depressed the housing market.
3.
[ vn ] to make the value of prices or wages lower :
to depress wages / prices
4.
[ vn ] ( formal ) to press or push sth down, especially part of a machine :
to depress the clutch pedal (= when driving) .
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French depresser , from late Latin depressare , frequentative of deprimere press down.