down in the mouth Definition

down¹
adverb

1. Towards or in a low or lower position, level or state; on or to the ground.
2. From a greater to a lesser size, amount or level.

Example: scaled down
Example: calm down
3. Towards or in a more southerly place.
4. In writing; on paper.

Example: take down notes
5. As a deposit.

Example: put down five pounds
6. To an end stage or finished state.

Example: hunt someone down
Example: grind down
7. From earlier to later times.

Example: handed down through generations
8. To a state of exhaustion, defeat, etc.

Example: worn down by illness
9. Not vomited up.

Example: keep food down
10. In a crossword: in the vertical direction. Compare across (adverb 10).

Example: 5 down

prep

1. In a lower position on something.
2. Along; at a further position on, by or through.

Example: down the road
3. Along in the direction of the current of a river.
4. From the top to or towards the bottom.
5. dialect
To or in (a particular place).
Example: going down the town

adj

1. Sad; in low spirits.
2. Going towards or reaching a lower position.

Example: a down pipe
3. Made as a deposit.

Example: a down payment
4. Reduced in price.
5. Said of a computer, etc: out of action, especially temporarily.

verb downed, downing

1. To drink something quickly, especially in one gulp.

Thesaurus: drink, gulp, swallow, imbibe.
2. To force someone to the ground.

Thesaurus: fell, floor, defeat, beat, topple, tackle, overthrow, vanquish, nail.

exclamation

1. Used as a command to animals, especially dogs: get or stay down.

noun

1. An unsuccessful or otherwise unpleasant period.

Example: Life has its ups and downs
2. An area of rolling (especially treeless) hills, especially the Downs in southern England.

Form: downs

Idiom: down by

With a deficit (of something specified).
Example: down by three goals

Idiom: down for

Noted; entered in a list, etc.
Example: Your name is down for the hurdles

Idiom: down in the mouth

Depressed.
Thesaurus: depressed, dispirited, crestfallen, melancholy, sad, unhappy, disheartened, dejected.

Idiom: down on one's luck

In unfortunate circumstances; in a bad way.

Idiom: down to the ground

colloq
Completely; perfectly.

Idiom: down tools

colloq
To stop working, as a protest.

Idiom: down under

colloq
In or to Australia and/or New Zealand.

Idiom: down with ...!

Let us get rid of ...!

Idiom: have a down on someone

colloq
To be ill-disposed towards them.

Idiom: up and down

To and fro.

Alternately well and ill.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon of dune from the hill.

---

mouth
noun mouths

1a. In humans, animals, etc: an opening in the head through which food is taken in and speech or sounds emitted, and containing the teeth, gums, tongue, etc;
1b. In other creatures: an opening with similar functions.
2. The lips; the outer visible parts of the mouth.
3. An opening, eg of a bottle.

Thesaurus: orifice, opening, cavity, aperture, vent, outlet.
4. The part of a river that widens to meet the sea.

Thesaurus: estuary, delta, harbour, gateway, portal, inlet, sound.
5. A person considered as a consumer of food.

Example: five mouths to feed
6. derog, colloq
Boastful talk.
Example: He's all mouth
7. colloq
Backchat or cheek.
Example: don't want any of your mouth
8a. derog, colloq
Someone who talks too much, especially indiscreetly;
derog, colloq
Example: bigmouth
Example: loudmouth
9. colloq
Use of language; way of speaking.
Example: a foul mouth
10. The responsiveness of a horse to the bit (see bit² sense 1).

verb mouthed, mouthing

1. To form (words) without actually speaking.

Example: mouthed a hello to me across the crowded room
tr & intr
2. derog
To speak (words) pompously or insincerely.
Example: is always mouthing platitudes
intr
3. To grimace.

Derivative: mouthed

Using a specified kind of language.
Example: foul-mouthed

Having a specified kind of mouth.
Example: wide-mouthed

Idiom: be all mouth

derog, colloq
To be someone who is full of boastful or confident talk but who never actually acts upon it.

Idiom: have a big mouth

colloq
To be in the habit of talking indiscreetly, loudly or too much.

Idiom: down in the mouth

See under down¹.

Idiom: keep one's mouth shut

colloq
To keep quiet; not to say or disclose anything.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon muth.

Phrasal Verb: mouth off

To express opinions forcefully or loudly. Also called sound off.To boast or brag.