mope

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mope / mōp/ • v. [intr.] be dejected and apathetic: no use moping—things could be worse. ∎  (mope around/about) wander around listlessly and aimlessly because of unhappiness or boredom: moping around at home won't get you anywhere.• n. a person given to prolonged spells of low spirits: they're just a bunch of mopes. ∎  (mopes) dated low spirits; depression.DERIVATIVES: mop·er n.mop·ey (also mop·y) adj.mop·i·ly / ˈmōpəlē/ adv.mop·i·ness / ˈmōpēnis/ n.mop·ish adj.ORIGIN: mid 16th cent. (the early noun sense being ‘fool or simpleton’): perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare with Swedish dialect mopa ‘to sulk.’