From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdoldrumsdol‧drums /ˈdɒldrəmz $ ˈdoʊl-, ˈdɑːl-, ˈdɒːl-/ noun [plural] informal a) WORSEif an industry, company, activity etc is in the doldrums, it is not doing well or developingin the doldrums The property market has been in the doldrums for months. Recent economic doldrums have damaged the rural west. b) SAD/UNHAPPYif you are in the doldrums, you are feeling sad Fay is in the doldrums today.
Examples from the Corpus
doldrums• Recent economic doldrums have hurt the rural west.• Roddy McDowall makes an appearance as a mad old soldier and lifts the film out of its doldrums.• Beat the summer doldrums by spending a day at the zoo.• The stock market is much improved from the doldrums of 1990.• The beef industry has been in the doldrums ever since consumers began to turn away from eating red meat.• Even against a country in the doldrums you just can't expect to turn up and automatically win.• With stock and bond markets in the doldrums, their trading operations have been badly hit.• With the computer business still in the doldrums, Ahmadi quit that to help his wife run the hair accessory business.in the doldrums• Too much assimilation and one is becalmed in the doldrums and no progress is possible at all.• A ship becalmed in the Doldrums, near the equator, need only carry auxiliary sails made of reflecting material.• The beef industry has been in the doldrums ever since consumers began to turn away from eating red meat.• Fourteen-year-old Trevor is in the doldrums.• With stock and bond markets in the doldrums, their trading operations have been badly hit.• On it, Tom reads Sylvia Plath so that the language sparkles in the doldrums.• With the computer business still in the doldrums, Ahmadi quit that to help his wife run the hair accessory business.• The manufacturing sector is still in the doldrums , analysts say.• Barbour took over the party when it was in the doldrums following the 1992 election that lost the White House.• After years in the doldrums, Opec has grabbed centre stage once more.From Longman Business Dictionarydoldrumsdol‧drums /ˈdɒldrəmzˈdoʊl-, ˈdɑːl-, ˈdɒːl-/ noun [plural] informal if an industry or market is in the doldrums, there is very little increase in prices or very little trade taking placeThe mortgage market has been in the doldrums for three years but now business is picking up.Origin doldrums (1700-1800) Perhaps from dold “stupid” ((1400-1500)) 