depression

Everyday

1. Depression is an illness of the mind that makes a person feel very sad, empty, tired or hopeless for a long time, much more than ordinary sadness; doctors and counsellors can help. tree →
2. A depression is a hollow or low place in a surface. tree →
3. In weather, a depression is an area of low air pressure that often brings clouds, wind and rain. tree →
4. A depression is a long time when many people have no work and little money: the Great Depression of the 1930s. tree →

In the lessons

In health and personal lessons, children learn that mental health matters as much as physical health; depression is common and nobody's fault, and talking to a trusted adult, a doctor or a helpline helps. In geography and weather, depressions bring rainy, windy weather (weather forecasts). In history, pupils study the Great Depression. In science, a depression in the ground can fill with water to make a pond. Phrases: suffer from depression, the Great Depression, a tropical depression, a depression in the ground.

Examples

• My uncle had depression, and talking to a doctor helped him get better. tree →
• If you feel sad for a long time, tell a trusted adult. tree →
• A deep depression is moving in from the Atlantic, bringing rain. tree →
• The rain collected in a depression in the field. tree →
• During the Great Depression, many families were very poor. tree →
• A tropical depression can grow into a hurricane. tree →

Note

Countable for hollows and weather systems, uncountable for the illness. Trap: feeling sad for a day is not depression — depression lasts weeks and needs help. It is not a weakness and people recover. Adjective: depressed; verb: depress (also «press down», as in «depress the button»).