1.depress的基本意思是“压下”“推下”“拉下”,指以压力或超重使某物下降。引申可指人因身体或精神原因而“颓唐”“使愁苦”“使沮丧”,侧重于体力减少或某器官功能减弱; 指其他事物如市场价格、社会或文化状况等时,侧重活动力减少,即“使不活泼”“使跌价”“使萧条”等。
2.depress是及物动词,通常接由名词或代词充当的简单宾语。
3.depress的过去分词depressed可用作形容词,在句中作表语; 现在分词depressing则常用作定语。

用作及物动词
▲S+～+n./pron.
The little girl depressed the button.这个小女孩按下按钮。
He depressed the keys of the piano with all of his feeling.他带着所有的情感按下琴键。
Bad weather depresses me.坏天气使我感到郁闷。
His defeat in the last crosscountry race depressed him.他在上一次越野赛中的失败使他感到沮丧。
◇ 用于be ～ed 结构
When the business is depressed, there is usually an increase in unemployment.当商业萧条时,通常失业就会增加。
His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。
其他
The newspaper is full of depressing news.报纸上尽是令人忧愁的消息。

depress, oppress, weigh
参见weigh条。