ruin
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈɹuː.ɪn/
ipa: [ˈɹuwɪn]
rhymes: -uːɪn
Forms: form: ruins
Etymology: From Middle English ruyne, ruine, from Old French ruine, from Latin ruīna (“overthrow, ruin”), from ruō (“I fall down, tumble, sink in ruin, rush”).
Senses: examples: text: The Veian and the Gabian towirs shall fall, / And one promiscuous ruin cover all; / Nor, after length of years, a stone betray / The place where once the very ruins lay.
ref: 1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
text: The labour of a day will not build up a virtuous habit on the ruins of an old and vicious character.
ref: a. 1812, Joseph Stevens Buckminster, sermon:
text: A canister of flour from the kitchen had been thrown at the looking-glass and lay like trampled snow over the remains of a decent blue suit with the lining ripped out which lay on top of the ruin of a plastic wardrobe.
ref: 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
text: Dr. Manuel: No one is saved. The age of humanity is ended. Soon, only ruin and corpses will remain.
ref: 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Eden Prime:
text: Not only is Jerusalem not a ruin, but she is at the height of her glory compared to all of Jewish history!
ref: 2024, David Golinkin, “Naḥem On Tisha B'Av: Is It Permissible To Change The Wording?”, in Responsa in a Moment, volume 4, page 136:
glosses: The remains of a destroyed or dilapidated construction, such as a house or castle.
examples: text: The monastery has fallen into ruin.
glosses: The state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed.
examples: text: Gambling has been the ruin of many.
text: The errors of young men are the ruin of business.
ref: 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Youth and Age”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
text: The Bat—they called him the Bat.[…]. He[…]played a lone hand,[…]. Most lone wolves had a moll at any rate—women were their ruin—but if the Bat had a moll, not even the grapevine telegraph could locate her.
ref: 1920, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Avery Hopwood, chapter I, in The Bat: A Novel from the Play (Dell Book; 241), New York, N.Y.: Dell Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 01:
glosses: Something that leads to serious trouble or destruction.
glosses: The act of ruining something.
examples: text: His ruin startled th’ other steeds.
ref: [1611?], Homer, “(please specify |book=I to XXIV)”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume (please specify the book number), London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC:
glosses: A fall or tumble.
examples: text: the ruin of a ship or an army
text: the ruin of a constitution or a government
text: the ruin of health or hopes
text: Oh Portius, is there not some choſen Curſe,
Some hidden Thunder in the Stores of Heav’n,
Red with uncommon Wrath, to blaſt the Man
Who owes his Greatneſs to his Country’s Ruin?
ref: 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 2:
text: Ruin seize thee, ruthless king!
ref: 1768, Thomas Gray, The Bard:
glosses: A change that destroys or defeats something; destruction; overthrow.
glosses: Complete financial loss; bankruptcy.
Derived terms: blue ruin
gambler's ruin
mother's ruin
rack and ruin
ruin of the year
ruin pub
ruin-restoration creationism
ruin theory
ruin value
wrack and ruin