ruin


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Related to ruin: Ruim

ru·in

(ro͞o′ĭn)
n.
1. often ruins
a. The state of being physically destroyed, collapsed, or decayed: The castle fell into ruin.
b. The state of being extensively harmed or damaged: Our vacation plans are in ruins.
c. Poverty of bankruptcy: Their decision brought the bank to ruin.
2.
a. often ruins A destroyed, collapsed, or decayed building or other physical entity: the ruins of the old mill.
b. One that has been extensively damaged or harmed: He is a ruin of his former self.
3. A cause of destruction or irreparable harm or loss: Gambling will be his ruin.
tr.v. ru·ined, ru·in·ing, ru·ins
1. To cause (a building, for example) to be in a destroyed, collapsed, or decayed state.
2.
a. To harm or damage the quality or value of (something) irreparably: A bad diet ruined his health.
b. To harm or damage the enjoyment or experience of (something) greatly: ruined the movie by talking throughout it; ruined the book by giving away the ending.
3. To reduce to poverty or bankruptcy: Bad loans ruined the banker.

[Middle English ruine, from Old French, from Latin ruīna, from ruere, to rush, collapse.]

ru′in·a·ble adj.
ru′in·er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ruin

(ˈruːɪn)
n
1. a destroyed or decayed building or town
2. the state or condition of being destroyed or decayed
3. loss of wealth, position, etc, or something that causes such loss; downfall
4. something that is severely damaged: his life was a ruin.
5. a person who has suffered a downfall, bankruptcy, etc
6. loss of value or usefulness
7. archaic loss of her virginity by a woman outside marriage
vb
8. (tr) to bring to ruin; destroy
9. (tr) to injure or spoil: the town has been ruined with tower blocks.
10. (intr) archaic or poetic to fall into ruins; collapse
[C14: from Old French ruine, from Latin ruīna a falling down, from ruere to fall violently]
ˈruinable adj
ˈruiner n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ru•in

(ˈru ɪn)

n.
1. ruins, the remains of a building, city, etc., that has been destroyed or is decaying.
2. a destroyed or decayed building, town, etc.
3. a fallen, wrecked, or decayed condition: The house fell into ruin.
4. the downfall, decay, or destruction of anything.
5. the complete loss of health, means, position, hope, or the like.
6. something that causes a downfall or destruction; blight: Alcohol was my ruin.
7. the downfall of a person; undoing.
8. a person as the wreck of his or her former self.
9. the act of causing destruction or a downfall.
v.t.
10. to reduce to ruin; devastate.
11. to bring to financial ruin; bankrupt.
12. to injure (a thing) irretrievably.
13. to deflower (a woman) by seduction.
v.i.
14. to fall into ruins.
15. to come to ruin.
[1325–75; Middle English ruine < Middle French < Latin ruīna headlong rush, collapse, ruin =ru(ere) to fall + -īna -ine3]
ru′in•er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

ruin

  • confuse - Originally meant "rout" or "bring to ruin."
  • naufrage - An old word for shipwreck or ruin.
  • defeature - The undoing or ruin of something.
  • fordo - "To do away with," "to destroy, ruin."
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

destroy

spoilruin
1. 'destroy'

If you destroy something, you cause so much damage to it that it can no longer be used or it no longer exists.

Several apartment buildings were destroyed by the fire.
I destroyed the letter as soon as I had read it.
2. 'spoil' and 'ruin'

If someone or something prevents an experience from being enjoyable, don't say that they 'destroy' the experience. You say that they spoil it or ruin it.

The evening had been spoiled by their argument.
The weather had completely ruined their day.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

ruin


Past participle: ruined
Gerund: ruining

Imperative
ruin
ruin
Present
I ruin
you ruin
he/she/it ruins
we ruin
you ruin
they ruin
Preterite
I ruined
you ruined
he/she/it ruined
we ruined
you ruined
they ruined
Present Continuous
I am ruining
you are ruining
he/she/it is ruining
we are ruining
you are ruining
they are ruining
Present Perfect
I have ruined
you have ruined
he/she/it has ruined
we have ruined
you have ruined
they have ruined
Past Continuous
I was ruining
you were ruining
he/she/it was ruining
we were ruining
you were ruining
they were ruining
Past Perfect
I had ruined
you had ruined
he/she/it had ruined
we had ruined
you had ruined
they had ruined
Future
I will ruin
you will ruin
he/she/it will ruin
we will ruin
you will ruin
they will ruin
Future Perfect
I will have ruined
you will have ruined
he/she/it will have ruined
we will have ruined
you will have ruined
they will have ruined
Future Continuous
I will be ruining
you will be ruining
he/she/it will be ruining
we will be ruining
you will be ruining
they will be ruining
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been ruining
you have been ruining
he/she/it has been ruining
we have been ruining
you have been ruining
they have been ruining
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been ruining
you will have been ruining
he/she/it will have been ruining
we will have been ruining
you will have been ruining
they will have been ruining
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been ruining
you had been ruining
he/she/it had been ruining
we had been ruining
you had been ruining
they had been ruining
Conditional
I would ruin
you would ruin
he/she/it would ruin
we would ruin
you would ruin
they would ruin
Past Conditional
I would have ruined
you would have ruined
he/she/it would have ruined
we would have ruined
you would have ruined
they would have ruined
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.ruin - an irrecoverable state of devastation and destructionruin - an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction; "you have brought ruin on this entire family"
desolation, devastation - the state of being decayed or destroyed
2.ruin - a ruined building; "they explored several Roman ruins"
building, edifice - a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place; "there was a three-story building on the corner"; "it was an imposing edifice"
3.ruin - the process of becoming dilapidated
decay - the process of gradually becoming inferior
4.ruin - an event that results in destruction
demolition, wipeout, destruction - an event (or the result of an event) that completely destroys something
devastation, desolation - an event that results in total destruction
shipwreck - an irretrievable loss; "that was the shipwreck of their romance"
5.ruin - failure that results in a loss of position or reputationruin - failure that results in a loss of position or reputation
failure - an event that does not accomplish its intended purpose; "the surprise party was a complete failure"
finish - the downfall of someone (as of persons on one side of a conflict); "booze will be the finish of him"; "it was a fight to the finish"
6.ruin - destruction achieved by causing something to be wrecked or ruinedruin - destruction achieved by causing something to be wrecked or ruined
destruction, devastation - the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists
Verb1.ruin - destroy completely; damage irreparably; "You have ruined my car by pouring sugar in the tank!"; "The tears ruined her make-up"
burn, burn down, fire - destroy by fire; "They burned the house and his diaries"
devastate, lay waste to, ravage, scourge, desolate, waste - cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly; "The enemy lay waste to the countryside after the invasion"
ravage, harry - make a pillaging or destructive raid on (a place), as in wartimes
break - find a flaw in; "break an alibi"; "break down a proof"
bust, break - ruin completely; "He busted my radio!"
vandalise, vandalize - destroy wantonly, as through acts of vandalism; "vandalize the park"
do a job on - destroy completely or make ugly or useless; "The dog did a job on my pillow"; "The seamstress did a job on my wedding gown"
subvert - destroy completely; "we must not let our civil liberties be subverted by the current crisis"
get - overcome or destroy; "The ice storm got my hibiscus"; "the cat got the goldfish"
devour - destroy completely; "Fire had devoured our home"
despoil, plunder, violate, spoil - destroy and strip of its possession; "The soldiers raped the beautiful country"
explode - destroy by exploding; "The enemy exploded the bridge"
consume - destroy completely; "The fire consumed the building"
shipwreck - destroy a ship; "The vessel was shipwrecked"
bust up, wrack, wreck - smash or break forcefully; "The kid busted up the car"
kick down, kick in - open violently; "kick in the doors"
wash out - wear or destroy by the force of water; "The hail storms had washed out the bridges"
2.ruin - destroy or cause to fail; "This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election"
frustrate, scotch, thwart, foil, baffle, bilk, cross, spoil - hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge"; "foil your opponent"
undo - cause the ruin or downfall of; "A single mistake undid the President and he had to resign"
break - cause the failure or ruin of; "His peccadilloes finally broke his marriage"; "This play will either make or break the playwright"
shipwreck - ruin utterly; "You have shipwrecked my career"
3.ruin - reduce to bankruptcyruin - reduce to bankruptcy; "My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!"; "The slump in the financial markets smashed him"
impoverish - make poor
4.ruin - reduce to ruins; "The country lay ruined after the war"
devastate, lay waste to, ravage, scourge, desolate, waste - cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly; "The enemy lay waste to the countryside after the invasion"
5.ruin - deprive of virginity; "This dirty old man deflowered several young girls in the village"
copulate, mate, couple, pair - engage in sexual intercourse; "Birds mate in the Spring"
6.ruin - fall into ruin
decay, dilapidate, crumble - fall into decay or ruin; "The unoccupied house started to decay"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

ruin

verb
1. destroy, devastate, wreck, trash (slang), break, total (slang), defeat, smash, crush, overwhelm, shatter, overturn, overthrow, bring down, demolish, raze, lay waste, lay in ruins, wreak havoc upon, bring to ruin, bring to nothing Roads have been destroyed and crops ruined.
destroy keep, build, create, save, preserve, construct
2. bankrupt, break, cripple, impoverish, beggar, make bankrupt, reduce to penury, pauperize, cause to go bankrupt She accused him of ruining her financially.
3. spoil, damage, mar, mess up, blow (slang), injure, undo, screw up (informal), botch, mangle, cock up (Brit. slang), disfigure, fuck up (offensive taboo slang), make a mess of, bodge (informal) The original decor was all ruined during renovation.
spoil support, improve, restore, repair, strengthen, enhance, enrich, mend
noun
1. bankruptcy, poverty, insolvency, penury, impoverishment, destitution, financial failure Recent inflation has driven them to the brink of ruin.
2. disrepair, decay, disintegration, ruination, decrepitude, dilapidation, wreckage The vineyards were falling into ruin.
plural noun
1. wreckage, wreck, remainder, debris, rubble, remnants, detritus the burnt-out ruins of houses
in ruins
2. ruined, in tatters (informal), over, finished, destroyed, at an end, in pieces, dead in the water (informal) The economy is in ruins.
Related words
fear atephobia
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

ruin

noun
1. The act of destroying or state of being destroyed:
2. Something that causes total loss or severe impairment, as of one's health, fortune, honor, or hopes:
3. The remains of something destroyed, disintegrated, or decayed:
verb
1. To cause the complete ruin or wreckage of:
Slang: total.
2. To make or become unusable or inoperative:
Slang: bust.
3. To impair severely something such as the spirit, health, or effectiveness of:
4. To reduce to financial insolvency:
Slang: clean out.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
إفْلاسإنْهِيار ماليخَراب، دَمارهَلاك، إنْهِياريُتْلِف، يُفْسِد
zkázazkazitzříceninazruinovattroska
ruinruinereforfaldødelægge
vare
rauniotuhotaturmiovararikko
לדפוקלהרוסלפשל
ruševinauništiti
omladékösszeomlásromroncsveszte
eyîileggjaeyîileggja, spillagjaldòrothrösun, glötunrúst
荒廃荒廃させる
파괴하다파산
griuvėsiuosepražūtissugriautassugriuvęssunaikintas
bankrotsbojāejabojātdrupasgruveši
pogubarazdejanjeruševinauničiti
ruinförstöra
การล้มละลายทำให้พินาศ
iflasmahvetmekşımartmakyıkım nedenifelâket sebebi
phá sảntàn phá

ruin

[ˈruːɪn]
A. N
1. (= building) → ruina f
the ruins of a castlelas ruinas or los restos de un castillo
to fall into ruinconvertirse en ruinas
the town lay or was in ruinsla ciudad estaba en ruinas
2. (fig) → ruina f, perdición f
he faced the prospect of financial ruinse enfrentaba a la posibilidad de la ruina económica or de acabar en la bancarrota
her hopes were in ruinssus esperanzas estaban destruidas
my life/career is in ruinsmi vida/carrera está destruida or arruinada
drink will be his ruin or the ruin of himel alcohol será su ruina or su perdición
the country has gone to ruinel país se ha arruinado
see also rack 2
B. VT
1. (= destroy) [+ reputation, career, life] → arruinar, destruir; [+ hopes] → destruir, echar por tierra; [+ plans] → estropear, echar por tierra
it ruined his chances of playing in the finaldio al traste con sus posibilidades de jugar en la final
2. (= spoil) [+ clothes, car] → estropear, destrozar; [+ meal, event, eyesight] → estropear
look at my dress, it's ruined!mira mi vestido, ¡está destrozado!
don't eat that now, you'll ruin your appetiteno te comas eso ahora, se te quitarán las ganas de comer
their chatter ruined my enjoyment of the concertsu charla no me dejó disfrutar del concierto
3. [+ person] (financially) → arruinar; (morally) → perder
what ruined him was gamblinglo que le perdió fue el juego, el juego fue su ruina
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

ruin

[ˈruːɪn]
n
[person, institution, building] → ruine f
to crumble into ruin → tomber en ruine
to go to ruin → être ruiné(e)
(= bankruptcy) → ruine f
(= ruined building) → ruine f
vt
(= destroy) [+ crops, career, reputation, chances, relations] → ruiner; [+ health] → ruiner
You are ruining your health → Tu te ruines la santé.
[+ clothes, carpet] → abîmer
You'll ruin your shoes → Tu vas abîmer tes chaussures.
(= spoil) [+ surprise, holiday, trip] → gâcher
It ruined our holiday → Ça a gâché nos vacances.
(= bankrupt) → ruiner ruins
npl (= remains)
[building] → ruines fpl
the ruins of the castle → les ruines du château
in ruins (house, castle, city)en ruine
[empire] → ruines fpl
to be in ruins [empire, career, life, economy] → être en ruine; [marriage, dreams, hopes] → être ruiné(e)
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

ruin

n
no pl (of thing, person)Untergang m; (of event)Ende nt; (financial, social) → Ruin m; the palace was going to ruin or falling into ruinder Palast verfiel (zur Ruine); ruin stared him in the face (financial/social) → er stand vor dem (finanziellen/gesellschaftlichen) Ruin
(= cause of ruin)Ende nt; (of person)Ruin m; the ruin of my hopesdas Ende meiner Hoffnungen; it will be the ruin of himdas wird ihn ruinieren; you will be the ruin of medu bist mein Ruin
(= ruined building)Ruine f; (fig: = person) → Wrack nt; ruins (of building)Ruinen pl; (of reputation, beauty)Reste pl; (of hopes, career)Trümmer pl; to be or lie in ruins (lit)eine Ruine sein; (fig)zerstört sein; (life: financially, socially) → ruiniert sein
vt (= destroy) buildingzerstören; hopes alsozunichtemachen; chances, reputation, health, sb’s life alsoruinieren; (financially, socially) personruinieren, zugrunde or zu Grunde richten; (= spoil) clothes, event, enjoyment, child, horseverderben; they ruined my birthday partysie haben (mir) die Geburtstagsfeier verdorben
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

ruin

[ˈruːɪn]
1. n
a.rudere m ruins npl (architectural remains) → rovine fpl
in ruins → in rovina
to fall into ruin → cadere in rovina
b. (fig) → rovina
2. vtrovinare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

ruin

(ˈruːin) noun
1. a broken, collapsed or decayed state. the ruin of a city.
2. a cause of collapse, decay etc. Drink was his ruin.
3. financial disaster; complete loss of money. The company is facing ruin.
verb
1. to cause ruin to. The scandal ruined his career.
2. to spoil; to treat too indulgently. You are ruining that child!
ˌruiˈnation noun
ˈruined adjective
1. collapsed; decayed. ruined houses.
2. completely spoiled. My dress is ruined!
ˈruins noun plural
collapsed and decayed buildings. the ruins of the castle.
in ruins
in a ruined state. The town lay in ruins.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

ruin

إفْلاس, يُدَمِّرُ zkáza, zkazit ruin, ruinere Ruine, zerstören ερείπιο, καταστρέφω arruinar, ruina tuhota, vararikko ruine, ruiner ruševina, uništiti rovina, rovinare 荒廃, 荒廃させる 파괴하다, 파산 ondergang, ruïneren ruin, ruinere ruina, zrujnować arruinar, ruína крах, разрушать förstöra, ruin การล้มละลาย, ทำให้พินาศ iflas, mahvetmek phá sản, tàn phá 毁灭, 破产
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
References in classic literature ?
The outer wall was fifty feet in height where it had not fallen into ruin, but nowhere as far as they could see had more than ten or twenty feet of the upper courses fallen away.
She did not linger there, but with a step that was hurried and agitated, she crossed the distance that divided her cabin from the ruin.
About half a mile from the palace in which they lived there stood a castle, which was uninhabited and almost a ruin, but the garden which surrounded it was a mass of blooming flowers, and in this garden the youngest Princess used often to walk.
"Then," said Danglars, pale with anger, which was not at all due to offended paternal love, -- "then, mademoiselle, you persist in your determination to accelerate my ruin?"
No flames were seen, but columns of smoke rose on all sides, and all Moscow as far as Pierre could see was one vast charred ruin. On all sides there were waste spaces with only stoves and chimney stacks still standing, and here and there the blackened walls of some brick houses.
"I prefer," Trent said, "a crisis now, to ruin in the future.
If success is rare and slow, everybody knows how quick and easy ruin is.
A wretched Russian nag they'll ruin, but keep good dray-horses--they won't ruin them.
A few moments now passed in silence between these lovers, while his eyes were eagerly fixed on Sophia, and hers declining towards the ground: at last she recovered strength enough to desire him again to leave her, for that her certain ruin would be the consequence of their being found together; adding, "Oh, Mr Jones, you know not, you know not what hath passed this cruel afternoon."--"I know all, my Sophia," answered he; "your cruel father hath told me all, and he himself hath sent me hither to you."--"My father sent you to me!" replied she: "sure you dream."--"Would to Heaven," cries he, "it was but a dream!
Duncan had prepared himself to pass the night in watchfulness near them, just without the ruin, but the scout, perceiving his intention, pointed toward Chingachgook, as he coolly disposed his own person on the grass, and said:
A mile or two above Eberbach we saw a peculiar ruin projecting above the foliage which clothed the peak of a high and very steep hill.
Whenever those states which have been acquired as stated have been accustomed to live under their own laws and in freedom, there are three courses for those who wish to hold them: the first is to ruin them, the next is to reside there in person, the third is to permit them to live under their own laws, drawing a tribute, and establishing within it an oligarchy which will keep it friendly to you.