--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What's a depression? The dictionary says…" description: "\"What's a depression? The dictionary says a depression is a dent. And what's a dent? Everybody knows a dent is a hole. And what's a hole? You tell me wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/jimmy-durante-20112_dent_what-s-a-depression-the-dictionary-says_9813.png" --- # What's a depression? The dictionary says a depression is a… ![“What's a depression? The dictionary says a depression is a dent. And what's a dent? Everybody knows a dent is a hole. And what's a hole? You tell me what's a hole! And I'll tell you that a hole is nothin'!” quote by Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/jimmy-durante-20112_dent_what-s-a-depression-the-dictionary-says_9813.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/jimmy-durante-20112_dent_what-s-a-depression-the-dictionary-says_9813.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/jimmy-durante-20112_dent_what-s-a-depression-the-dictionary-says_9813.png) > “What's a depression? The dictionary says a depression is a dent. And what's a dent? Everybody knows a dent is a hole. And what's a hole? You tell me what's a hole! And I'll tell you that a hole is nothin'!” [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Depression is likened to a dent, then a hole, ultimately reduced to emptiness, highlighting how language can mask the starkness of mental emptiness. **In simple terms:** Depression as emptiness Key Takeaway Words can conceal stark realities Themes mental health language perception existentialism philosophy Mood somber reflective wry Type aphorical philosophical humorous When to use this quote - discussing mental health - explaining depression to a layperson - philosophical debate - writing a poem about emptiness - teaching language nuance Key Concepts definition metaphor psychology nihilism Practical Applications - mental health awareness campaigns - creative writing workshops Questions to Reflect On - How does language shape our view of mental illness? - What does calling depression 'nothing' imply about its impact? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dent/) [Dent Hole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dent-hole-358090/) [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Depression Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression-dent-358087/) [Depression Dictionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression-dictionary-358088/) [Dictionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictionary/) [Holes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holes/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Says Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says-depression-358089/) ## Related quotes > [Let's make a dent in the universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-s-make-a-dent-in-the-universe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Where do you go to get permission to make a dent in the Universe ? If you think there's a chance you can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/where-do-you-go-to-get-permission-to-make-a-dent-in-the-universe-if/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/we-re-here-to-put-a-dent-in-the-universe-otherwise-why-else-even-be/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It's fine if you're making 1,000 or 2,000 of an electric car, and I think there is value in that in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wagoner/it-s-fine-if-you-re-making-1-000-or-2-000-of-an-electric-car-and-i/) [Rick Wagoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wagoner/) > [“We’re here to put a dent in the universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/we-re-here-to-put-a-dent-in-the-universe/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [The whole time I was on 'Grey's,' I'm still reconciling myself to my 11-year-old son, because he never saw me during that time. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-washington/the-whole-time-i-was-on-grey-s-i-m-still-reconciling-myself-to-my-11/) [Isaiah Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-washington/) > [“Why,” said Arthur Dent, “isn’t anyone ever pleased to see us?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/why-said-arthur-dent-isn-t-anyone-ever-pleased-to-see-us/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“All right," said Ford. "How would you react if I said that I'm not from Guildford at all, but from a small planet somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/all-right-said-ford-how-would-you-react-if-i-said-that-i-m-not-from/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Trust-me companies are companies whose financial results gallop ahead of their businesses, companies with seemingly perfect control over their quarterly sales and profits. Companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/trust-me-companies-are-companies-whose-financial-results-gallop-ahead/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [How else to make a dent in an object as immovable as patriarchy itself...?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalma-heyn/how-else-to-make-a-dent-in-an-object-as-immovable-as-patriarchy-itself/) [Dalma Heyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalma-heyn/) > [I've never believed that the only way to make a dent is to be a table thumper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brudnoy/i-ve-never-believed-that-the-only-way-to-make-a-dent-is-to-be-a-table/) [David Brudnoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brudnoy/) > [I don't see a groundswell of people willing to raise gas taxes right now. That leaves fuel economy standards as the only effective tool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-boehlert/i-don-t-see-a-groundswell-of-people-willing-to-raise-gas-taxes-right/) [Sherwood Boehlert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-boehlert/) > [Do you know how you got that dent, in your top lip? Way back, before you were born, I told you a secret, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/km-ii/do-you-know-how-you-got-that-dent-in-your-top-lip-way-back-before-you/) [KM II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/km-ii/) > [We all have ambitions, but only the few achieve. A man thinks of a good thing and says: 'Now if I only had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-fairbanks/we-all-have-ambitions-but-only-the-few-achieve-a-man-thinks-of-a-good/) [Douglas Fairbanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-fairbanks/) > [Are you by any chance acquainted with the words 'steel toe'? Or do the words 'permanent dent' mean anything to you?" My locker door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-klass/are-you-by-any-chance-acquainted-with-the-words-steel-toe-or-do-the/) [David Klass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-klass/) ## More by Jimmy Durante > [Me and my big mouth! I'd get rid of it, only it's such a handy place to keep my teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/me-and-my-big-mouth-i-d-get-rid-of-it-only-it-s-such-a-handy-place-to/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [Start off each day with a song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/start-off-each-day-with-a-song/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [I hate music, especially when it's played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/i-hate-music-especially-when-it-s-played/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [Make someone happy, Make just one someone happy, And you will be happy, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/make-someone-happy-make-just-one-someone-happy-and-you-will-be-happy/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [Man is the only animal that can be skinned more than once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/man-is-the-only-animal-that-can-be-skinned-more-than-once/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [All of us have schnozzles... if not in our faces, then in our character, minds or habits. When we admit our schnozzles, instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/all-of-us-have-schnozzles-if-not-in-our-faces-then-in-our-character/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [At four o'clock in the morning most people have been asleep for hours, but at four o'clock in the morning the night-club children of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/at-four-o-clock-in-the-morning-most-people-have-been-asleep-for-hours/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [Now you know that you can't go wrong... If you start each day with a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/now-you-know-that-you-can-t-go-wrong-if-you-start-each-day-with-a-song/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [“Food became secondary”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/food-became-secondary/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [“Did you ever get the feeling that you wanted to go, But still had the feeling that you wanted to stay, You knew it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/did-you-ever-get-the-feeling-that-you-wanted-to-go-but-still-had-the/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [I was hurt so deep that I made up my mind never to hurt anybody else, no matter what. I never made jokes about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/i-was-hurt-so-deep-that-i-made-up-my-mind-never-to-hurt-anybody-else/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [Be kind to people on the way up - you'll meet them again on your way down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/be-kind-to-people-on-the-way-up-you-ll-meet-them-again-on-your-way/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [My wife has a slight impediment in her speech. Every now and then she stops to breathe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/my-wife-has-a-slight-impediment-in-her-speech-every-now-and-then-she/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [Be awfully nice to them going up, because you're gonna meet them all coming down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/be-awfully-nice-to-them-going-up-because-you-re-gonna-meet-them-all/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [Don't put no constrictions on da people! Leave 'em the hell alone!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/don-t-put-no-constrictions-on-da-people-leave-em-the-hell-alone/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) [Explore all 31 Jimmy Durante quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) ## More Dent quotes > [Let's make a dent in the universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-s-make-a-dent-in-the-universe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We all have ambitions, but only the few achieve. A man thinks of a good thing and says: 'Now if I only had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-fairbanks/we-all-have-ambitions-but-only-the-few-achieve-a-man-thinks-of-a-good/) [Douglas Fairbanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-fairbanks/) > [Do you know how you got that dent, in your top lip? Way back, before you were born, I told you a secret, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/km-ii/do-you-know-how-you-got-that-dent-in-your-top-lip-way-back-before-you/) [KM II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/km-ii/) > [I don't see a groundswell of people willing to raise gas taxes right now. That leaves fuel economy standards as the only effective tool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-boehlert/i-don-t-see-a-groundswell-of-people-willing-to-raise-gas-taxes-right/) [Sherwood Boehlert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-boehlert/) > [I've never believed that the only way to make a dent is to be a table thumper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brudnoy/i-ve-never-believed-that-the-only-way-to-make-a-dent-is-to-be-a-table/) [David Brudnoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brudnoy/) > [How else to make a dent in an object as immovable as patriarchy itself...?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalma-heyn/how-else-to-make-a-dent-in-an-object-as-immovable-as-patriarchy-itself/) [Dalma Heyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalma-heyn/) > [Trust-me companies are companies whose financial results gallop ahead of their businesses, companies with seemingly perfect control over their quarterly sales and profits. Companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/trust-me-companies-are-companies-whose-financial-results-gallop-ahead/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [“All right," said Ford. "How would you react if I said that I'm not from Guildford at all, but from a small planet somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/all-right-said-ford-how-would-you-react-if-i-said-that-i-m-not-from/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“Why,” said Arthur Dent, “isn’t anyone ever pleased to see us?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/why-said-arthur-dent-isn-t-anyone-ever-pleased-to-see-us/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [The whole time I was on 'Grey's,' I'm still reconciling myself to my 11-year-old son, because he never saw me during that time. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-washington/the-whole-time-i-was-on-grey-s-i-m-still-reconciling-myself-to-my-11/) [Isaiah Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-washington/) > [“We’re here to put a dent in the universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/we-re-here-to-put-a-dent-in-the-universe/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It's fine if you're making 1,000 or 2,000 of an electric car, and I think there is value in that in a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wagoner/it-s-fine-if-you-re-making-1-000-or-2-000-of-an-electric-car-and-i/) [Rick Wagoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wagoner/) > [“We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/we-re-here-to-put-a-dent-in-the-universe-otherwise-why-else-even-be/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Where do you go to get permission to make a dent in the Universe ? If you think there's a chance you can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/where-do-you-go-to-get-permission-to-make-a-dent-in-the-universe-if/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Are you by any chance acquainted with the words 'steel toe'? Or do the words 'permanent dent' mean anything to you?" My locker door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-klass/are-you-by-any-chance-acquainted-with-the-words-steel-toe-or-do-the/) [David Klass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-klass/) [Browse all 24 Dent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dent/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What's a depression? 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