Down-And-Out

Pronunciation: /daʊn-ənd-aʊt/

Definitions of down-and-out

adjective having no money, no job, and no place to live; destitute

Example Sentences

A1 The down-and-out man asked for spare change on the street corner.

A2 She felt sorry for the down-and-out family living in the run-down apartment building.

B1 The charity organization provided assistance to the down-and-out individuals in the community.

B2 Despite his down-and-out appearance, he was determined to turn his life around and find a job.

C1 The documentary shed light on the struggles faced by the down-and-out population in the city.

C2 The novel depicted the harsh reality of life for the down-and-out characters living on the fringes of society.

Examples of down-and-out in a Sentence

formal The charity organization provides assistance to the down-and-out individuals in the community.

informal I heard that Tom used to be down-and-out but he's doing much better now.

slang Those down-and-out folks really need a helping hand to get back on their feet.

figurative After facing multiple setbacks, she felt like a down-and-out boxer ready to throw in the towel.

Grammatical Forms of down-and-out

• past tense: down-and-outed
• plural: down-and-outs
• comparative: more down-and-out
• superlative: most down-and-out
• present tense: is down-and-out
• future tense: will be down-and-out
• perfect tense: has been down-and-out
• continuous tense: is being down-and-out
• singular: down-and-out
• positive degree: down-and-out
• infinitive: to be down-and-out
• gerund: being down-and-out
• participle: down-and-outing

Origin and Evolution of down-and-out

First Known Use: 1889 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The phrase 'down-and-out' originated in the late 19th century in the United States.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe someone who is destitute or in a hopeless situation, the term has evolved to also refer to someone who is defeated or lacking in energy or motivation.