doldrums

doldrums
    n 1: a state of inactivity (in business or art etc); "economic
         growth of less than 1% per year is considered to be
         economic stagnation" [syn: {stagnation}, {stagnancy},
         {doldrums}]
    2: a belt of calms and light winds between the northern and
       southern trade winds of the Atlantic and Pacific
    

doldrums \dol"drums\ (d[o^]l"dr[u^]mz), n. pl. [Cf. Gael.
   doltrum grief, vexation?]
   A part of the ocean near the equator, abounding in calms,
   squalls, and light, baffling winds, which sometimes prevent
   all progress for weeks; -- so called by sailors.
   [1913 Webster]

   {To be in the doldrums}, to be in a state of listlessness
      ennui, or tedium.
      [1913 Webster]
    

49 Moby Thesaurus words for "doldrums":
      anticyclone, antitrades, apathy, blahs, blue devils, blues,
      boredom, calm, cold storage, dead calm, deathlike calm, dejection,
      depression, disinterest, dismals, dolefuls, dormancy, dumps, ennui,
      flat calm, gloom, horse latitudes, inactivity, indifference,
      intermission, interruption, latency, listlessness, lull, megrims,
      mopes, mulligrubs, mumps, oily calm, polar easterlies,
      prevailing westerlies, quiescence, quiescency, retardation,
      roaring forties, slump, stagnation, sulks, suspension, trade wind,
      trades, wind-equator, windlessness, yawn