English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Feel blue
Meaning
The idiom "feel blue" means to feel sad or depressed. The figurative meaning is that the person experiencing these emotions feels weighed down or heavy like a piece of fabric with water droplets on it, causing them to appear gray and dull.
Usage
- I'm feeling blue today because my dog passed away.
- She usually feels blue after finishing her exams.
- Feeling blue is a common experience for people during the winter months.
- He feels blue whenever he loses at sports.
- After the car accident, she felt blue for weeks and couldn't leave her house.
Roots and History
The idiom "feel blue" dates back to 1867 when it first appeared in the Oxford English Dictionary. The earliest known usage was associated with feelings of melancholy or sadness. The idiom may have originated from the fact that people who are feeling down often appear pale or gray, resembling a piece of fabric with water droplets on it. Over time, the idiom has come to be used more broadly to refer to any type of negative emotion, including anger or frustration.
Synonyms in English
- Feel sad
- Feel down
- Feel depressed
- Feel blue-collared
- Feel low
Synonyms in other languages
- Spanish - Sentirse triste (to feel sad)
- French - Se sentir morose (to feel melancholic)
- German - Gefühle der Schwerigkeit (to feel heavy or weighed down)
- Italian - Sentire un certo malessere (to feel a certain type of suffering)
- Chinese - 感到沉重 (to feel heavy or weighted)