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Doldrums
Definitions
- 1 Usually preceded by the: a state of apathy or lack of interest; a situation where one feels boredom, ennui, or tedium; a state of listlessness or malaise. plural, plural-only
"I was in the doldrums yesterday and just didn’t feel inspired."
- 2 plural of doldrum (“slothful or stupid person”) form-of, obsolete, plural
- 3 a belt of calms and light winds between the northern and southern trade winds of the Atlantic and Pacific wordnet
- 4 Usually preceded by the: the state of a sailing ship when it is impeded by calms or light, baffling winds, and is unable to make progress. plural, plural-only
"[F]rom the bluff-head, where I watched to-day, / I saw her in the doldrums; for the wind / Was light and baffling."
- 5 a state of inactivity (in business or art etc.) wordnet
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- 6 Usually preceded by the: a part of the ocean near the equator where calms, squalls, and light, baffling winds are common. broadly, plural, plural-only
"Mr. Ralph Abercromby has made special observations on the upper wind currents over the equator in the Atlantic Ocean. [...] With respect to the general circulation of the atmosphere we know that the surface trades either die out at the doldrums or unite into one moderate east current; that the low and middle currents over the doldrums are very variable, but that the winds at these low and middle levels, 2,000 to 20,000 feet, come usually from the southeast over the northeast trade, and from the northeast over the southeast trade, and that the highest currents—over 20,000 feet—move from east over the doldrums, from southwest over the northeast trade, and from northwest over the southeast trade."
Etymology
From obsolete doldrum (“slothful or stupid person”) plus the plural suffix -s. Doldrum is possibly derived from dull or Middle English dold (past participle of dullen, dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”), from dul, dol, dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”); see further at dull), modelled after tantrum.
From obsolete doldrum (“slothful or stupid person”) plus the plural suffix -s. Doldrum is possibly derived from dull or Middle English dold (past participle of dullen, dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”), from dul, dol, dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”); see further at dull), modelled after tantrum.
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