"doldrum" meaning in English

See doldrum in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈdɒldɹəm/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈdɑldɹəm/ [General-American] Audio: En-au-doldrum.ogg [Australia] Forms: more doldrum [comparative], most doldrum [superlative]
Etymology: The noun is possibly derived from dull or Middle English dold (past participle of dullen, dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”), from dul, dol, dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”); see further at dull), modelled after tantrum. The adjective is probably derived from the noun. Etymology templates: {{m|en|dull}} dull, {{der|en|enm|dold}} Middle English dold, {{glossary|past}} past, {{glossary|participle}} participle, {{m|enm|dullen}} dullen, {{m|enm|dollen|t=to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive}} dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”), {{m|enm|dul}} dul, {{m|enm|dol}} dol, {{m|enm|dolle|t=not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish}} dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”), {{m|en|dull}} dull, {{m|en|tantrum}} tantrum Head templates: {{en-adj}} doldrum (comparative more doldrum, superlative most doldrum)
  1. Boring, uninteresting. Synonyms: humdrum
    Sense id: en-doldrum-en-adj-ocbjNbyy

Noun

IPA: /ˈdɒldɹəm/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˈdɑldɹəm/ [General-American] Audio: En-au-doldrum.ogg [Australia] Forms: doldrums [plural]
Etymology: The noun is possibly derived from dull or Middle English dold (past participle of dullen, dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”), from dul, dol, dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”); see further at dull), modelled after tantrum. The adjective is probably derived from the noun. Etymology templates: {{m|en|dull}} dull, {{der|en|enm|dold}} Middle English dold, {{glossary|past}} past, {{glossary|participle}} participle, {{m|enm|dullen}} dullen, {{m|enm|dollen|t=to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive}} dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”), {{m|enm|dul}} dul, {{m|enm|dol}} dol, {{m|enm|dolle|t=not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish}} dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”), {{m|en|dull}} dull, {{m|en|tantrum}} tantrum Head templates: {{en-noun}} doldrum (plural doldrums)
  1. (slang, obsolete) A slothful or stupid person. Tags: obsolete, slang Synonyms: dullard, idiot Derived forms: doldrums
    Sense id: en-doldrum-en-noun-WZ2AId92 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 42 58

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for doldrum meaning in English (6.2kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dull"
      },
      "expansion": "dull",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "dold"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English dold",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "past"
      },
      "expansion": "past",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "participle"
      },
      "expansion": "participle",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dullen"
      },
      "expansion": "dullen",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dollen",
        "t": "to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive"
      },
      "expansion": "dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dul"
      },
      "expansion": "dul",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dol"
      },
      "expansion": "dol",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dolle",
        "t": "not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish"
      },
      "expansion": "dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dull"
      },
      "expansion": "dull",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "tantrum"
      },
      "expansion": "tantrum",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "The noun is possibly derived from dull or Middle English dold (past participle of dullen, dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”), from dul, dol, dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”); see further at dull), modelled after tantrum.\nThe adjective is probably derived from the noun.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "doldrums",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "doldrum (plural doldrums)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "dol‧drum"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "42 58",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "doldrums"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1817 April 30, William Hone, “Political Priestcraft, Continued, in another Epistle to the Rev. Dan[iel] Wilson, […]”, in Hone’s Reformists’ Register, and Weekly Commentary, volume I, number 15, London: Printed by J. D. Dewick, […]; published by William Hone, […], published 3 May 1817, →OCLC, columns 476–477",
          "text": "Were there no \"tears and miseries,\" when the half-witted doldrums, thinking they were not big enough to be seen, put themselves on horseback, to bask and frolic in a procession, and meet their man-midwife, or surgeon, or whatever he is, who had left his business at Norwich, to go to London, for the purpose of administering their little nostrum to the Prince Regent?",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A slothful or stupid person."
      ],
      "id": "en-doldrum-en-noun-WZ2AId92",
      "links": [
        [
          "slothful",
          "slothful"
        ],
        [
          "stupid",
          "stupid"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang, obsolete) A slothful or stupid person."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "dullard"
        },
        {
          "word": "idiot"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete",
        "slang"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdɒldɹəm/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdɑldɹəm/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-doldrum.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0f/En-au-doldrum.ogg/En-au-doldrum.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/En-au-doldrum.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "doldrum"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dull"
      },
      "expansion": "dull",
      "name": "m"
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "dold"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English dold",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "past"
      },
      "expansion": "past",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
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        "1": "participle"
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      "expansion": "participle",
      "name": "glossary"
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      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dullen"
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      "expansion": "dullen",
      "name": "m"
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dollen",
        "t": "to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive"
      },
      "expansion": "dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dul"
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      "expansion": "dul",
      "name": "m"
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      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dol"
      },
      "expansion": "dol",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dolle",
        "t": "not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish"
      },
      "expansion": "dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dull"
      },
      "expansion": "dull",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "tantrum"
      },
      "expansion": "tantrum",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "The noun is possibly derived from dull or Middle English dold (past participle of dullen, dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”), from dul, dol, dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”); see further at dull), modelled after tantrum.\nThe adjective is probably derived from the noun.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more doldrum",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most doldrum",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "doldrum (comparative more doldrum, superlative most doldrum)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "dol‧drum"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She quit her doldrum job and left to seek a life of adventure.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Boring, uninteresting."
      ],
      "id": "en-doldrum-en-adj-ocbjNbyy",
      "links": [
        [
          "Boring",
          "boring#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "uninteresting",
          "uninteresting"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "humdrum"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdɒldɹəm/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdɑldɹəm/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-doldrum.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0f/En-au-doldrum.ogg/En-au-doldrum.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/En-au-doldrum.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "doldrum"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English 2-syllable words",
    "English adjectives",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "doldrums"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dull"
      },
      "expansion": "dull",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "dold"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English dold",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "past"
      },
      "expansion": "past",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "participle"
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      "expansion": "participle",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
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        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dullen"
      },
      "expansion": "dullen",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dollen",
        "t": "to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive"
      },
      "expansion": "dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dul"
      },
      "expansion": "dul",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dol"
      },
      "expansion": "dol",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dolle",
        "t": "not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish"
      },
      "expansion": "dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dull"
      },
      "expansion": "dull",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "tantrum"
      },
      "expansion": "tantrum",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "The noun is possibly derived from dull or Middle English dold (past participle of dullen, dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”), from dul, dol, dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”); see further at dull), modelled after tantrum.\nThe adjective is probably derived from the noun.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "doldrums",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "doldrum (plural doldrums)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "dol‧drum"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English slang",
        "English terms with obsolete senses",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1817 April 30, William Hone, “Political Priestcraft, Continued, in another Epistle to the Rev. Dan[iel] Wilson, […]”, in Hone’s Reformists’ Register, and Weekly Commentary, volume I, number 15, London: Printed by J. D. Dewick, […]; published by William Hone, […], published 3 May 1817, →OCLC, columns 476–477",
          "text": "Were there no \"tears and miseries,\" when the half-witted doldrums, thinking they were not big enough to be seen, put themselves on horseback, to bask and frolic in a procession, and meet their man-midwife, or surgeon, or whatever he is, who had left his business at Norwich, to go to London, for the purpose of administering their little nostrum to the Prince Regent?",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A slothful or stupid person."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "slothful",
          "slothful"
        ],
        [
          "stupid",
          "stupid"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(slang, obsolete) A slothful or stupid person."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "dullard"
        },
        {
          "word": "idiot"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete",
        "slang"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdɒldɹəm/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdɑldɹəm/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-doldrum.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0f/En-au-doldrum.ogg/En-au-doldrum.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/En-au-doldrum.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "doldrum"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English 2-syllable words",
    "English adjectives",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dull"
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      "name": "m"
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    {
      "args": {
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        "2": "enm",
        "3": "dold"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English dold",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "past"
      },
      "expansion": "past",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
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        "1": "participle"
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      "expansion": "participle",
      "name": "glossary"
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        "2": "dullen"
      },
      "expansion": "dullen",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dollen",
        "t": "to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive"
      },
      "expansion": "dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dul"
      },
      "expansion": "dul",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dol"
      },
      "expansion": "dol",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "dolle",
        "t": "not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish"
      },
      "expansion": "dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dull"
      },
      "expansion": "dull",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "tantrum"
      },
      "expansion": "tantrum",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "The noun is possibly derived from dull or Middle English dold (past participle of dullen, dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”), from dul, dol, dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”); see further at dull), modelled after tantrum.\nThe adjective is probably derived from the noun.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "more doldrum",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "most doldrum",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "doldrum (comparative more doldrum, superlative most doldrum)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "dol‧drum"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She quit her doldrum job and left to seek a life of adventure.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Boring, uninteresting."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Boring",
          "boring#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "uninteresting",
          "uninteresting"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "humdrum"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdɒldɹəm/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdɑldɹəm/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-doldrum.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0f/En-au-doldrum.ogg/En-au-doldrum.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/En-au-doldrum.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "doldrum"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-12 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (ae36afe and 304864d). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.