depress

verb

Etymology: From Middle English depressen, from Old French depresser, from Latin dēpressus, perfect participle of dēprimō (“to press down, to weigh down”), from dē- (“off, away, down, out”) + premō (“to press”).

1. To press down.

   “Depress the upper lever to start the machine.”

   “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.”

2. To make depressed, sad or bored.

   “Winter depresses me.”

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

   “Lower productivity will eventually depress wages.”

   “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.”

4. To bring down or humble; to abase (pride, etc.).
5. To reduce (an equation) in a lower degree.