down economy

[victor steinbok]

"Down economy" seems to be a fairly common phrase right now. For example,
this is the latest headline in Corporate Counsel:

Down Economy and Increased Regulation Impact Corporate Fraud, Reports Say

http://goo.gl/wDk8m

This seems to have a somewhat archaic sound. Of course, there is little
formality to stop the use of "up" and "down" as adjective in reporting. The
Corporate Counsel article compounds that illusion by citing Walter Scott in
the very first line: "Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice
to deceive."

All the related down adj. subentries in the OED lack recent examples:

1. a. Directed downwards; descending. Also fig.

> [1647-1894]
>  b. Of looks or aspect: Directed downwards.
> [1565-1716]
>  2. In a low condition of health or vitality. rare.
> [1690-1885]
> †3. Downcast, dejected. Obs. (exc. predicatively: see down adv. 18).
> [1644]


There are also two entries that mention "down trip"--one direct (1.e.) and
one more expansive, under "draft additions)--certainly they are related and
may need to be merged. Both are linked to down n.3 Draft Additions 1993 a.,
but in opposite directions--one points TO it, the other is pointed to from
there.

But it is one of these that "down economy" appears to most closely resemble:

  U.S. slang. Causing or characterized by depression, despondency, or lack
> of vigour; down trip, an unpleasant or depressing hallucinatory experience
> induced by the drug LSD. Cf. down n.3 Additions a.


I just can't get past the disconnect between "down economy" and "down
trip"--they certainly don't feel related. ;-) One is depressed, the other
one's depressing.

VS-)

PS: Totally off-topic, but the article mentions an interesting conclusion on
profiles of "typical fraudsters":

> * A 36- to 45-year-old male in a senior management role in the finance unit
> or in a finance-related function;
> * An employee for more than 10 years who usually would work in collusion
> with another individual.

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