Meaning
1. A gloomy state of mind, often a gloomy state that is of some continuance, or habitual; depression of spirits induced by grief; dejection of spirits. This was formerly supposed to proceed from a redundance of black bile. Melancholy, when extreme and of long continuance, is a disease, sometimes accompanied with partial insanity. Cullen defines it, partial insanity without dyspepsy.
In nosology, mental-alienation restrained to a single object or train of ideas, in distinction from mania, in which the alienation is general.
Moon-struck madness, moping melancholy.
MEL'ANCHOLY, a. Gloomy; depressed in spirits; dejected; applied to persons. Overwhelming grief has made me melancholy.
1. Dismal; gloomy; habitually dejected; as a melancholy temper.
2. Calamitous; afflictive; that may or does produce great evil and grief; as a melancholy event. The melancholy fate of the Albion! The melancholy destruction of Scio and of Missolonghi!
