down in the mouth

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down in the mouth (comparative more down in the mouth, superlative most down in the mouth)

1. (idiomatic) Sad or discouraged, especially as indicated by one's facial appearance.
   • 1839, Charles Dickens, chapter 16, in Oliver Twist:

     "Is the old 'un here?" asked the robber. "Yes," replied the voice, "and precious down in the mouth he has been."

   • 1940, "Wait Awhile," Time, 15 Jul.:

     Said Chrysler's tough, dynamic boss, K. T. Keller: "Don't get down in the mouth about business in this country. There is going to be a lot of money spent here."

   • 2006, Howard Kurtz, "In Iraq, Journalist Richard Engel Sticks to the Story," Washington Post, 26 Oct. (retrieved 3 Nov. 2008):

     "He was down in the mouth and low on self-confidence," says his mother, Nina Engel.

• dejected, disheartened, dispirited