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Downbeat

//ˈdaʊnbiːt// adj, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Sad or pessimistic.

    "He sounded downbeat when asked about his future plans."

  2. 2
    Cautiously optimistic.

    "She carried herself with a quiet downbeat grace."

Noun
  1. 1
    The accented beat at the beginning of a bar (indicated by a conductor with a downward stroke).
  2. 2
    the first beat of a musical measure (as the conductor's arm moves downward) wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From down + beat.

Etymology 2

Earlier downbeaten, from the phrasal verb beat down

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