depress

verb (used with object)

1. to make sad or gloomy; lower in spirits; deject; dispirit.
2. to lower in force, vigor, activity, etc.; weaken; make dull.
3. to lower in amount or value.
4. to put into a lower position: to depress the muzzle of a gun.
5. to press down.
6. Music. to lower in pitch.

verb (tr)

1. to lower in spirits; make gloomy; deject
2. to weaken or lower the force, vigour, or energy of
3. to lower prices of (securities or a security market)
4. to press or push down
5. to lower the pitch of (a musical sound)
6. obsolete to suppress or subjugate

v.

early 14c., “put down by force,” from Old French depresser, from Late Latin depressare, frequentative of Latin deprimere “press down,” from de- “down” (see de-) + premere “to press” (see press (v.1)).

Meaning “push down physically” is from early 15c.; that of “deject, make gloomy” is from 1620s; economic sense of “lower in value” is from 1878. Related: Depressed; depressing.

v.

1. To lower in spirits; deject.
2. To cause to drop or sink; lower.
3. To press down.
4. To lessen the activity or force of something.