Downcasts

/ˈdaʊn.kæsts/ noun

Definition

Plural of downcast; either multiple mining shafts through which air is forced downward, or instances of sad or dejected behavior.

Etymology

Plural form of 'downcast,' created with the standard '-s' suffix; combines the mining technical meaning with the emotional meaning.

Kelly Says

Coal mines typically had both 'downcasts' and 'upcasts'—you could see this system in mine infrastructure from Britain to America! The vocabulary of mining gave English lots of colorful technical terms that miners used to describe their dangerous world.

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