be down in the dumps
expression · Idiom / expression C1
Plain meaning
to feel unhappy or depressed
Exam-register meaning
In exam reading or discussion, this expression signals to feel unhappy or depressed rather than a literal meaning.
In context
naturalThe phrase “be down in the dumps” fitted the situation perfectly.
examIn higher-level reading passages, “be down in the dumps” may be used to show to feel unhappy or depressed.
Common collocations
be down in the dumpsuse “be down in the dumps” in contextthe expression “be down in the dumps”
Watch out
Do not translate “be down in the dumps” word-for-word; learn it as a fixed expression and check whether it is suitable for formal writing.