mel|an|chol|y

mel|an|chol|y
mel|an|chol|y «MEHL uhn KOL ee», noun, plural -chol|ies, adjective.
–n.
1. low spirits; sadness; tendency to be sad: »

The chronic melancholy which is taking hold of the civilized races... (Thomas Hardy).

 SYNONYM(S): depression, dejection, gloominess.
2. sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness: »

I…began, Wrapp'd in a pleasing fit of melancholy, To meditate my rural minstrelsy (Milton).

3. one of the four humors, thought in ancient and medieval physiology to be secreted by the kidney or spleen and to be the cause of such conditions as depression and gloominess; black bile: »

to purge melancholy (Shakespeare).

–adj.
1. sad; gloomy; depressed in spirits: »

A melancholy person is not very good company.

SYNONYM(S): depressed, despondent, downcast.
2. causing sadness; depressing; dismal: »

a melancholy smile.

3. lamentable; deplorable: »

a melancholy fact.

4. soberly thoughtful or pensive: »

to refresh his mind with a melancholy walk (Anthony Wood).

5. Obsolete. having to do with or affected with melancholia.
╂[< Old French melancolie, and malencollie, learned borrowings from Late Latin melancholia; see etym. under melancholia (Cf. ↑melancholia)]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • mel|an|chol|ic — «MEHL uhn KOL ihk», adjective, noun. –adj. 1. melancholy; gloomy; emotionally depressed. 2. having to do with, like, or suffering from melancholia. –n. a person who is melancholic; gloomy person. –mel´an|chol´i|cal|ly, adverb …   Useful english dictionary

  • mel|an|chol|i|ly — «MEHL uhn KOL uh lee», adverb. in a melancholy manner …   Useful english dictionary

  • mel´an|chol´i|cal|ly — mel|an|chol|ic «MEHL uhn KOL ihk», adjective, noun. –adj. 1. melancholy; gloomy; emotionally depressed. 2. having to do with, like, or suffering from melancholia. –n. a person who is melancholic; gloomy person. –mel´an|chol´i|cal|ly, adverb …   Useful english dictionary

  • mel|an|chol|i|ness — «MEHL uhn KOL ee nihs», noun. the condition of being melancholy …   Useful english dictionary

  • mel·an·chol·ic — …   Useful english dictionary

  • chol — chol·a·gog·ic; chol·a·gogue; chol·angiogram; chol·an·gi·o·graph·ic; chol·an·gi·og·ra·phy; chol·an·gi·ole; chol·an·gi·o·lit·ic; chol·an·gi·o·li·tis; chol·an·gi·o·ma; chol·an·gi·tis; chol·an·threne; chol·er; chol·era; chol·er·a·ic;… …   English syllables

  • mel|an|cho|li|a — «MEHL uhn KOH lee uh», noun. a functional mental disorder characterized by great depression of spirits and activity, and gloomy thoughts and fears often accompanied by vivid delusions. ╂[< Late Latin melancholia < Greek melancholía <… …   Useful english dictionary

  • melancholic — mel·an·chol·ic …   English syllables

  • melancholily — mel·an·chol·i·ly …   English syllables

  • melancholy — mel|an|chol|y1 [ melən,kali ] noun uncount MAINLY LITERARY a feeling of sadness and of being without hope mel|an|chol|y2 [ melən,kali ] adjective MAINLY LITERARY feeling or looking sad, or making you feel sad: a bleak and melancholy landscape …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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