depress

present singular third person depresses · participle present depressing · participle past depressed · past depressed

1. To press down.

   Depress the upper lever to start the machine.

   1 more example

   As to the fireman, the sight of him at work, swinging round with his shovelful of coal and at the same moment lightly depressing his right heel and so working the pedal which causes the steam-operated firedoors to open like magic in front of the shovel, was always a pleasure.

   1947 January and February, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 39

   Synonyms: downbear, squash

2. To make depressed, sad or bored.

   Winter depresses me.

   Synonyms: deject, get down, aggrieve, attrist, begloom, begrieve, besorrow, grieve · Antonyms: cheer up

3. economicsTo cause a depression or a decrease in parts of the economy.

   Lower productivity will eventually depress wages.

   1 more example

   Russia claims the proportion of the grain that went to the very poorest countries was less than 4%, but this ignores the fact that even if wealthier countries were buying the wheat, the extra supply was depressing the general price all countries were paying.

   2023 July 20, Patrick Wintour, “What was the Black Sea grain deal and why did it collapse?”, in The Guardian

4. To bring down or humble; to abase (pride, etc.).

   Synonyms: cut down to size, humiliate, put someone in their place, abase, bring down to size, cut down to size, debase, defame

5. mathematicsTo reduce (an equation) in a lower degree.