mope
[mohp]
verb (used without object), moped, mop·ing.
to be sunk in dejection or listless apathy; sulk; brood.
verb (used with object), moped, mop·ing.
to make dejected, listless, or apathetic.
noun
a person who mopes or is given to moping.
mopes, depressed spirits; blues.
Origin of mope
First recorded in 1560–70; variant of mop2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Related Words for moping
brood, sulk, chafe, despond, grumble, regret, grump, lament, repine, grieve, yearn, pine, moon, idle, despair, sink, ache, languish, bleed, fretExamples from the Web for moping
Contemporary Examples of moping
Faced with a moping, stony-faced new partner, Beth did not selflessly set aside her own pain to help.
Historical Examples of moping
He was not moping—only weakly and even when looking a little sad, was quite happy.
Weighed and WantingGeorge MacDonald
For one thing, there was plenty of hard work to keep my mind from moping.
In the ValleyHarold Frederic
I couldn't help him none, and he went away, moping and miserable.
Cape Cod StoriesJoseph C. Lincoln
It has been a glorious day and, if you had come in moping, I should have given you up as hopeless.
Through Three CampaignsG. A. Henty
Edward had no time for moping discontent, for revenge, or anger.
mope
verb (intr)
noun
See also mopes
Word Origin for mope
C16: perhaps from obsolete mope fool and related to mop ²
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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mope
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper