Down in the mouth
Meaning
Feeling sad, dejected, or unhappy.
Origin
Imagine a weary horse, its spirit low after a long journey or illness, its lower lip hanging loose and slack. This sad, tell-tale droop was a clear physical sign of dejection, exhaustion, or ill-health. Observing this visible manifestation of an animal's emotional or physical state, people began to use the same imagery to describe a human who was similarly dispirited or unhappy. Just as the horse's 'mouth' literally hung 'down,' a person feeling 'down in the mouth' conveyed their sadness through their posture and facial expression, making it a vivid and easily understood metaphor for sorrow that emerged in the 18th century.
Examples
- After hearing the bad news about the project, John was really down in the mouth for the rest of the day.
- Don't be so down in the mouth; things will surely look up tomorrow.