Definitions

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  • proper noun depression

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

A personification.

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Examples

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  • Slang, generally British, for depression. Winston Churchill referred to his depression as his "black dog," but according to this horribly named site the term predates his use.

    October 2, 2007

  • I think there's quite a bit of folk legend in England surrounding black dogs as apparitions or haunting figures. I wonder if that's where Mr. Churchill came up with the phrase--which does appropriately describe depression, if you ask me. I wish I remembered more about the legends to explain them properly. Perhaps someone else more knowledgeable will pipe up.

    October 2, 2007

  • It's just a death portent, like the "Hound of the Baskervilles." Sometimes just seeing it is enough, sometimes it, pun intentded, dogs you a bit before you die.

    wiki entry, which covers most of the bases.

    October 2, 2007

  • You're right, John. That is a horribly named site. But this is a very interesting (and I think apt) expression to describe depression.

    I didn't mean to rhyme there. It just happened.

    October 2, 2007

  • Sherlock Holmes. I need to read those again.

    October 2, 2007

  • Thanks colleen. Why didn't I think of searching the Internet? *smacks forehead*

    BTW, I saw one once. But I think it was a hallucination from lack of sleep and/or rural Mississippi.

    Don't ask.

    October 3, 2007

  • Are you sure it wasn't this dog?

    October 3, 2007

  • Nah. This one was huge and had glowing eyes. Mine is small and... well, has glowing eyes.

    October 3, 2007

  • Hmm. Must have been rural Mississippi, then.

    October 3, 2007

  • You'd be amazed what you find in Mississippi.

    October 3, 2007

  • I would be. But I'll bet chained_bear wouldn't. ;-)

    October 3, 2007

  • Point!

    October 3, 2007

  • C_b, maybe you saw the Loup Garou...

    How close were you to Louisiana?

    October 3, 2007

  • Mm, yeah. That would be the rougarou, if she was down thattaway...

    October 3, 2007

  • Creepy. However it's spelled, it sounds like a cousin to the Jersey Devil.

    October 3, 2007

  • Oooh - another figment - I like the picture:)

    October 3, 2007

  • Tanglefoot does a song called Loup Garou. That's the first I ever heard of it (coupla two-three years ago).

    October 10, 2007

  • I think that Dr. John does as well!

    October 10, 2007