doldrums
DOLE-drums
A belt of calm, light, or absent winds near the equator where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres converge and neutralize each other. Sailing ships could be becalmed in the doldrums for days or weeks. The word also means a state of listlessness or stagnation — the meteorological condition became the metaphor.
Etymology
Probably from Old English dol, meaning dull or stupid, combined with tantrum. The word was in nautical use by the early 19th century.
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