2950: Crestfallen Jan 18, 2025

The term 'crestfallen' emerged in the 1580s to describe a state of dejection or being dispirited. The appeared in early English evoking the image of a defeated rooster and later horse. In the 1610s, the verb 'crestfall' was recorded, specifically referring to diseased horses, with 'crest' being used less literally than it would be for a rooster, but still denoting a head. Interestingly, the opposite term, 'crest-risen', also emerged around this time to describe a proud, energetic state, but that is now obsolete. Over time, 'crestfallen' became the go-to expression for a person in a state of emotional defeat.