depress

DEPRESS, verb transitive [Latin To press.] 1. To press down; to press to a lower state or position; as, to depress the end of a tube, or the muzzle of a gun. 2. To let fall; to bring down; as, to depress the eye. 3. To render dull or languid; to limit or diminish; as, to depress commerce. 4. To sink; to lower; to deject; to make sad; as, to depress the spirits or the mind. 5. To humble; to abase; as, to depress pride. 6. To sink in altitude; to cause to appear lower or nearer the horizon; as, a man sailing towards the equator depresses the pole. 7. To impoverish; to lower in temporal estate; as, misfortunes and losses have depressed the merchants. 8. To lower in value; as, to depress the price of stock.