() [, ]a long period when there is little economic activity, many businesses fail and many people are poor or without jobs 萧条期；不景气；经济衰退◆The collapse of investment and consumption can often lead to depression. 投资失败和消费萎缩常常会导致经济衰退。◆We have been through a global economic depression. 我们已经度过了全球经济萧条期。◆Is the country sliding into depression? 这国家正在陷入经济衰退吗？➡boom , recession , slump ⨁to sink into / slide into / tip sth into depression 陷入经济衰退⨁(a) full-scale / major / severe depression 全面的／严重的经济萧条⨁a depression deepens / ends 经济萧条加剧／结束
the Depression ( the ˌGreat Deˈpression) [] the period from 1929 to 1934 when large numbers of people in the US and Europe were unemployed and poor because there was so little economic activity （1929-1934 年的）经济大萧条
[] the lowering or reducing of sth 压低；降低◆a continued depression in travel demand 旅游需求持续下降◆the depression of energy prices 能源价格的下降