Downbeat - English meaning

adjective

Of the very darkest colour owing to the absence of or complete absorption of light; the opposite of white.

Usage examples:

Black smoke

verb

Belonging to or denoting any human group having dark-coloured skin, especially of african or australian aboriginal ancestry.

Usage examples:

Black adolescents of jamaican descent

noun

Another term for hamburger.

adjective

(of an area of land) lacking vegetation and exposed to the elements.

Usage examples:

A bleak and barren moor

noun

A small silvery shoaling fish of the carp family, found in eurasian rivers.

Usage examples:

The flies for pike were naturally bigger than the bleaks, so they left me alone and i got some pike.

adjective

Relaxed and unconcerned.

Usage examples:

A casual attitude to life

noun

A person who does something irregularly.

Usage examples:

A number of casuals became regular customers

adjective

Not serious or careful in attitude; only partly interested

Usage examples:

A casual glance at a magazine, even to the casual observer, the forgery was obvious., we have a sma…

adjective

Believing that people are motivated purely by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity.

Usage examples:

He was brutally cynical and hardened to every sob story under the sun

Believing the worst of human nature and motives

adjective

Not trusting or respecting the goodness of other people and their actions, but believing that people are interested only in themselves

Usage examples:

Listening to politicians for too long can make you cynical., she’s become cynical about men., he’s …

adjective

With little or no light.

Usage examples:

It's too dark to see much

noun

The absence of light in a place.

Usage examples:

Carolyn was sitting in the dark

noun

A person who expects or is excessively ready to accept failure.

Usage examples:

It also appeals to defeatists, cynics, and worldly-wise men who are not prepared to try to change t…

adjective

Demonstrating expectation or acceptance of failure.

Usage examples:

We have a duty not to be so defeatist

adjective

Having no hope and expecting to fail

Usage examples:

Being defeatist will get us nowhere., he's got such a defeatist attitude., i can't believe it - you…

adjective

Sad and depressed; dispirited.

Usage examples:

He stood in the street looking dejected

verb

Make sad or dispirited; depress.

Usage examples:

Nothing dejects a trader like the interruption of his profits

adjective

Unhappy, disappointed, or lacking hope

Usage examples:

William felt dejected because he had sprained his ankle and had to sit out the game.

adjective

Having lost confidence or hope; disheartened.

Usage examples:

How do you motivate demoralized employees?

verb

Cause (someone) to lose confidence or hope.

Usage examples:

The general strike had demoralized the trade unions

adjective

Having lost your confidence, enthusiasm, and hope

Usage examples:

After the game, the players were tired and demoralized.

adjective

(of a person) in a state of unhappiness or despondency.

Usage examples:

She felt lonely and depressed

verb

Make (someone) feel utterly dispirited or dejected.

Usage examples:

That first day at school depressed me

adjective

Feeling unhappy and without hope

Usage examples:

He’s depressed about losing his job., this is an economically depressed area.

adjective

Showing the loss of all hope.

Usage examples:

He gave a despairing little shrug

verb

Lose or be without hope.

Usage examples:

We should not despair

adjective

Showing or feeling that there is no hope and that you can do nothing to improve a difficult or worrying situation

Usage examples:

A despairing glance/cry, with every day that passed he became ever more despairing.

adjective

In low spirits from loss of hope or courage.

Usage examples:

She grew more and more despondent

adjective

Unhappy and discouraged because you feel you are in a situation that is unlikely to improve

Usage examples:

He grew increasingly despondent when his paintings failed to sell.

adjective

Careful and prudent in one's speech or actions, especially in order to keep something confidential or to avoid embarrassment.

Usage examples:

We made some discreet inquiries

adjective

Careful not to cause embarrassment or attract a lot of attention

Usage examples:

She hung the laundry on a line in a discreet corner of the yard., there was a discreet knock on the…

abbreviation

Attorney.

adjective

Achieved without great effort; presenting few difficulties.

Usage examples:

An easy way of retrieving information

adverb

Without difficulty or effort.

Usage examples:

We all scared real easy in those days

exclamation

Be careful.

Usage examples:

Easy, girl—you'll knock me over!

adjective

Relaxed and not easily upset or worried

Usage examples:

An easy-going attitude/manner, a friendly, easy-going type of guy

adjective

Not easily disturbed or angered; calm and even-tempered.

Usage examples:

He could look sterner than his equable temperament would suggest

adjective

Always being pleasant

Usage examples:

Equable temperament graham has a fairly equable temperament - i haven't often seen him really angry.

adjective

Not changing suddenly

Usage examples:

Equable climate the south of the country enjoys an equable climate.

adjective

Relating to or characteristic of the belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable.

Usage examples:

Many have an almost fatalistic attitude towards their own health

adjective

Believing that people cannot change the way events will happen and that events, especially bad ones, cannot be avoided

Usage examples:

She was fatalistic about the future., he had a fatalistic acceptance of his bad luck in life.

adjective

Dark or poorly lit, especially so as to appear depressing or frightening.

Usage examples:

A gloomy corridor badly lit by oil lamps

adjective

Looking or feeling dejected; morose.

Usage examples:

The princess looked glum but later cheered up

adjective

Sad and discouraged

Usage examples:

A glum expression, marty nodded glumly.

adjective

Feeling or causing despair.

Usage examples:

Jess looked at him in mute hopeless appeal

adjective

Without hope

Usage examples:

We tried to save the building, but it was a hopeless task (= it could not succeed).

adjective

Not clearly visible or attracting attention.

Usage examples:

An inconspicuous red-brick building

adjective

Not easily noticed or seen; not attracting attention

Usage examples:

Agents placed the camera on a wall in an inconspicuous place.

adjective

Having a relaxed, friendly, or unofficial style, manner, or nature.

Usage examples:

An informal atmosphere

adjective

Not formal or official, or not suitable for official or special occasions

Usage examples:

An informal gathering, informal talks resumed today in an attempt to end the strike., it’s ok to dr…

adjective

Showing a casual lack of concern.

Usage examples:

An insouciant shrug

adjective

Relaxed and happy, with no feelings of worry or guilt

Usage examples:

He sometimes seems insouciant to the point of carelessness., it is easy to see where her reputation…

adjective

Simple and not attracting attention

Usage examples:

The wedding will be a low-key affair, with fewer than thirty guests.

adjective

Looking or sounding sad and dismal.

Usage examples:

His face looked even more lugubrious than usual

adjective

Sad and serious

Usage examples:

A lugubrious face

noun

A feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause.

Usage examples:

An air of melancholy surrounded him

adjective

Having a feeling of melancholy; sad and pensive.

Usage examples:

She felt a little melancholy

adjective

Feeling or expressing sadness

Usage examples:

A melancholy song, larry is in a very melancholy mood.

adjective

(of a sound or voice) quiet and soft.

Usage examples:

The muted hum of the distant traffic

verb

Deaden, muffle, or soften the sound of.

Usage examples:

Her footsteps were muted by the thick carpet

adjective

Not loud, or not enthusiastic

Usage examples:

Her reaction was muted.

adjective

Consisting in or characterized by the absence rather than the presence of distinguishing features.

Usage examples:

The records of her transaction, and loan would have been available and in their absence i draw a ne…

noun

A word or statement that expresses denial, disagreement, or refusal.

Usage examples:

She replied in the negative

verb

Refuse to accept; reject.

Usage examples:

The bill was negatived on second reading by 130 votes to 129

adjective

(of a person or manner) feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm.

Usage examples:

She gave a nonchalant shrug

adjective

Tending to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen.

Usage examples:

He was pessimistic about the prospects

adjective

Thinking that bad things are more likely to happen or emphasizing the bad part of a situation

Usage examples:

The tone of the meeting was very pessimistic., the doctors are pessimistic (= not hopeful) about hi…

adjective

Free from tension and anxiety.

Usage examples:

We were having a great time and feeling very relaxed

verb

Make or become less tense or anxious.

Usage examples:

He relaxed and smiled confidently

adjective

(of a person or their manner) quiet and rather reflective or depressed.

Usage examples:

I felt strangely subdued as i drove home

verb

Overcome, quieten, or bring under control (a feeling or person).

Usage examples:

She managed to subdue an instinct to applaud

adjective

(of color or light) not very bright, or (of sound) not very loud

Usage examples:

A subdued voice, a subdued chalk-stripe suit, most of the fans were subdued, quietly waiting for th…

adjective

(especially of a change or distinction) so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyse or describe.

Usage examples:

His language expresses rich and subtle meanings

adjective

Not loud, bright, noticeable, or obvious

Usage examples:

Subtle flavors, a subtle shade of pink, the subtle nuances of english pronunciation are hard to mas…

adjective

Having or showing a cautious distrust of someone or something.

Usage examples:

He was suspicious of her motives

adjective

Presented or expressed in a subtle and effective way.

Usage examples:

Understated elegance

verb

Describe or represent (something) as being smaller or less good or important than it really is.

Usage examples:

The press have understated the extent of the problem

adjective

Not intended to be obvious

Usage examples:

The apartment was luxurious but furnished in a tastefully understated way.