Idiom Topics

  • The Ubiquitous Essentials

    10
    • On the other hand
    • At the end of the day
    • In the long run
    • Bear in mind
    • A piece of cake
    • Keep an eye on
    • Out of the blue
    • Rule of thumb
    • So far, so good
    • Behind the scenes

  • Everyday Casual & Workplace

    10
    • Under the weather
    • Call it a day
    • Up in the air
    • Wrap your head around
    • Break the ice
    • Get out of hand
    • Go the extra mile
    • Touch base
    • Hit the nail on the head
    • Cut corners

  • Problem Solving & Interaction

    10
    • See eye to eye
    • Read between the lines
    • Take it with a grain of salt
    • Get the hang of it
    • Give the benefit of the doubt
    • The elephant in the room
    • Hit the ground running
    • Play it by ear
    • Bite the bullet
    • Sit on the fence

  • Decisions & Perspectives

    9
    • Jump on the bandwagon
    • Cross that bridge when we come to it
    • The best of both worlds
    • A blessing in disguise
    • Once in a blue moon
    • Pull someone's leg
    • Miss the boat
    • Better late than never
    • Get your act together

  • Colorful & Traditional

    10
    • Spill the beans
    • Let the cat out of the bag
    • Bite off more than you can chew
    • Go back to the drawing board
    • Barking up the wrong tree
    • Actions speak louder than words
    • A penny for your thoughts
    • Break a leg
    • Hit the sack
    • Beat around the bush

  • Academic & Formal Discourse

    10
    • Bear fruit
    • Pave the way
    • Shed light on
    • Go hand in hand
    • Tip the scales
    • Fly in the face of
    • Bring to the table
    • Turn a blind eye
    • Draw a blank
    • State of the art

  • Emotions & Reactions

    10
    • Over the moon
    • Down in the dumps
    • On edge
    • Blow off steam
    • Keep your cool
    • Drive someone up the wall
    • On cloud nine
    • A weight off my shoulders
    • At your wits' end
    • Thrilled to bits

  • Effort, Success, & Failure

    10
    • Start from scratch
    • Pass with flying colors
    • Fall flat
    • Go down the drain
    • Keep your head above water
    • Pay off
    • Throw in the towel
    • Make headway
    • Uphill battle
    • Back to square one

  • Time, Speed, & Urgency

    10
    • Beat the clock
    • At the eleventh hour
    • Around the clock
    • In the nick of time
    • Drag your feet
    • Time flies
    • Make up for lost time
    • Call time on
    • Ahead of the curve
    • On the spur of the moment

  • Resources, Money, & Value

    10
    • Make ends meet
    • Foot the bill
    • Break the bank
    • Tighten your belt
    • Bang for your buck
    • A drop in the ocean
    • Make a killing
    • On a shoestring budget
    • Worth your weight in gold
    • Pay top dollar

Down in the dumps

Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "Down in the dumps" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourEmotions & Reactions collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.

Emotions & Reactions

Down in the dumps

Down in the dumps
Feeling unhappy, depressed, sad, or lacking in enthusiasm and spirit.
History & Origin

The idiom dates back to the early 16th century, where the word 'dump' referred to a state of mental perplexity, daze, or a melancholy mournful tune played on an instrument. Over time, the plural form 'dumps' became synonymous with a low-spirited state of mind. By the late 1700s, the phrase evolved into its modern familiar format, describing someone trapped in a temporary state of sadness.

Examples
Casual Conversation

Ever since his vacation got canceled, Mark has been really down in the dumps.

Workplace Email

While the recent quarterly results have left the team a bit down in the dumps, we have a solid strategy moving forward into next month.

News/Media

After losing the championship match in the final seconds, the local players were visibly down in the dumps during the post-game press conference.

Formal Speech

It is entirely natural for communities to feel down in the dumps during times of economic transition, but historical resilience shows we will adapt.

Academic Writing

Psychological studies indicate that individuals who are down in the dumps for prolonged periods may benefit significantly from structured behavioral interventions.

Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?

A. She felt down in the dumps when she won the first-place lottery prize, smiling from ear to ear.

B. The price of oil went down in the dumps by fifteen percent during yesterday's volatile trading session.

C. After failing her final driving test for the third time, Sarah was completely down in the dumps.

D. He decided to down in the dumps his old clothes to clear out some space in his bedroom closet.