(1) 压(拉，按)下(push， pull or press sth down) [T+n](fml)：～a button/a lever/a piano key/a switch按按钮/杠杆/钢琴键/开关;～the accelerator in a car踩汽车的油门;〖同〗lower;

(2) 使不景气(萧条)，使减弱(cause to be less active) [T+n](fml)：(bad weather)～the demand for ice-cream(坏天气)使冰激凌需求减少;(new highway)～the business along the old road(新公路)使旧路沿线的商业萧条;(decline in business)～wages(生意上的萧条)使工资下降;～trade/sales/the stock market 使贸易/销售/股票市场不景气; This medicine will～your heartbeat/the action of the heart. 这种药会使你的心跳减弱/心脏的跳动变缓。〖同〗lessen，weaken; 〖反〗heighten，increase，strengthen，stimulate;

(3) 使沮丧(消沉)(cause to feel sad; make(sb)without enthusiasm)[T+n]：The sad news/wet weather～him(his spirits). 坏消息/雨天使他沮丧(情绪低落)。It～ed me to learn... 得知……使我消沉。look/feel/be～ed 样子显得沮丧/感觉沮丧/沮丧;～ing news/weather 令人沮丧的消息/天气; a～ing time/environment/sight/prospect 令人忧伤的时间/环境/景象/前景; 〖同〗 sadden，dishearten，discourage; 〖反〗cheer，gladden，hearten，encourage;

→ de′pressing adj 令人消沉(沮丧)的;de′pressingly adv 令人消沉(沮丧)地;de′pressed adj 消沉的，沮丧的，抑郁的;萧条的;平的;de′pressant n 镇静剂;de-′pression n抑郁，消沉，沮丧;萧条，不景气;低洼地;低气压;

【辨异】 1) depress与oppress从字面上讲原来都有“向下压”的意思，但现在主要都只限用于转义。depress主要指令人不快的情况、形势对人心理上的暂时影响(使悲伤、沮丧); oppress(压迫;使烦恼(沮丧))除指政治上的“压迫”外，有时也指令人不快的情况、形势对人心理上的影响，但指造成更完全、持久的失望;2) depressed与oppressed和sad都可指情绪低落。depressed与oppressed为分别由动词depress与oppress构成的过去分词，因此，其间的语义差别就显而易见了，如：be depressed by the news(让那消息搞得很沮丧);be oppressed by a sense of failure(被失败感弄得心灰意懒);sad(悲哀的;可悲的)是常用语，可指轻微、暂时的不快，也可指强烈的忧伤、持续的忧郁和愁闷，如：a sad song/look(忧伤的歌/悲哀的样子)。