Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. suffering from an unpleasant drug experience.

1978		R. Price Ladies’ Man (1985) 229: I was [...] real bummed out.
1999		Guardian Rev. 9 July 10: Our trio [...] are bummed to the max.

2. drunk.

1933		‘William Juniper’ True Drunkard’s Delight.
1980		Eble Campus Sl. Spring 1: bummed out – [...] hungover.

3. depressed, miserable.

1977		C. McFadden Serial 18: Ms Murphy was feeling bummed out.
1980		Eble Campus Sl. Spring 1: bummed out – to feel tired, depressed.
1987		‘Joe Bob Briggs’ Joe Bob Goes to the Drive-In 122: I had to shoot my dog Tuesday [...] I’m still bummed out by it.
1989		P. Munro Sl. U. 48: bummed Christie was bummed when Doug didn’t show up.
1994		N. McCall Makes Me Wanna Holler (1995) 186: We sat there, bummed out, looking at each other.
1997		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 2: bummed – sad, dejected.
1999		Guardian Guide 25 Sept.–1 Oct. 19: Their first [film] was the doomy and bummed out Seven.
2000		Observer Mag. 27 Feb. 26: He swishes from bummed-out to buoyant so swiftly.
2007		T. Dorsey Hurricane Punch 181: I’m so bummed.
2016		T. Robinson Rough Trade [ebook] I could see he was really bummed out.

4. disappointed, feeling ‘put upon’ by others.

1979		D. Gram Foxes (1980) 92: Madge was getting thoroughly bummed out. ‘Mom, I’m trying to get my head into having a good time and if you’re going to go and spoil it—’.
1988		D. Woodrell Muscle for the Wing 143: And prob’ly we’ll be all bummed out and hurt [...] that a confrère like you would mislead us.
1994		J. Wambaugh Finnegan’s Week 176: My old lady was seriously bummed.
1999		Guardian Rev. 22 Oct. 23: Bummed-out guys who find some sort of release in beating the crap out of each other.
2001		Week (US) 8 June 16: I was kind of bummed out.
2004		Mad mag. Nov. 46: You get bummed when you don’t get picked in lineups.

5. angry.

1977		C. McFadden Serial 57: I’m sorry to dump on you like this [...] That’s how bummed out I am.
1980		Eble Campus Sl. Spring 1: bummed out – to feel tired, depressed, angry, or hungover.
1987		Eble Campus Sl. Oct. 1: bummed – mad, angry, disheartened.
1995		(con. 1985–90) P. Bourjois In Search of Respect 255: candy: I told her ‘Don’t even think of sitting next to me.’ [...] primo: [grinning] You was bummed, hunh?

6. not working, broken, dilapidated.

1981		J. Wambaugh Glitter Dome (1982) 72: That is a bummed-out bonnet, Buckmore.
2006		C. Carr Our Town 302: She was discouraged about this topic. ‘I call it bummed out. Like you can’t have an effect, so why try?’.

7. (US campus) casually dressed; thus bum out v., to dress casually.

1983		Eble Campus Sl. Nov.
1990		Eble Campus Sl. Nov. 2: bum out [...] dress casually or shabbily, usually in sweats or jeans. ‘I looked really bummed out yesterday when I ran into him.’.