subs. (common).—Money. For synonyms, see ACTUAL and GILT.

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  1837.  R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends (Sir Rupert the Fearless).

        May I venture to say, when a gentleman jumps
In the river at midnight for want of ‘the DUMPS,’
He rarely puts on his knee-breeches and pumps.

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  IN THE DUMPS, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Cast down; ill at ease; unpleasantly situate.

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  1592.  GREENE, Groatsworth of Wit, in wks. xii., 115. Whence spring these DUMPS?

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  1598.  JONSON, Every Man in his Humour, iii. 3. How now, Master Knowell, IN DUMPS, IN DUMPS! Come, this becomes not.

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  1600.  SHAKESPEARE, Much Ado about Nothing, ii. 3.

        Sing no more ditties, sing no mo
  Of DUMPS so dull and heavy.

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  1711.  Spectator, No. 176. When I come home she is IN THE DUMPS, because she says she is sure I came so soon only because I think her handsome.

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  1717.  CENTLIVRE, A Bold Stroke for a Wife, v., 1. What art thou IN THE DUMPS for?

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  1771.  FOOTE, The Maid of Bath, II. She seems got quite I’ THE DUMPS.

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  1847.  W. B. RHODES, Bombastes Furioso, p. 19.

        My happiness is chang’d to doleful DUMPS,
Whilst, merry Michael, all thy cards were trumps.

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  1855.  R. C. TRENCH, English, Past and Present, p. 131. In the great ballad of Chevy Chase, … a noble warrior whose legs are hewn off, is described as being ‘IN DOLEFUL DUMPS’; just as, in Holland’s translation of Livy, the Romans are set forth as being ‘IN THE DUMPS’ in consequence of their disastrous defeat at Cannæ.

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  1885.  Daily Telegraph, 19 Jan., p. 5, col. 2. Everybody who suffers now and then from a fit of THE DUMPS is counselled to read amusing books.

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