Basic English Words: life, right, down, on

What does “feeling down” mean in English?

The word down usually means a direction — the way to the floor. But “feeling down” means something else. It means feeling sad or low. If a friend feels down, they are not happy that day. You can ask, “Why are you down?” or say, “I feel a bit down today.” It is a soft, kind way to talk about being sad. People use it a lot in everyday talk.

In this word lesson the teacher shows the word down as a direction, then adds, “Also, down, feeling down.” That second meaning is the useful one. Next time you feel sad, you can say: “I’m feeling down.”