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ruin |
5 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Ruin \Ru"in\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ruined};p. pr & vb n. {Ruining}.] [Cf. F. ruiner, LL ruinare. See {Ruin}, n.] To bring to ruin; to cause to fall to pieces and decay; to make to perish; to bring to destruction; to bring to poverty or bankruptcy; to impair seriously; to damage essentially; to overthrow. this mortal house I'll ruin. --Shak. By thee raised, I ruin all my foes. --Milton. The eyes of other people are the eyes that ruin us --Franklin. By the fireside there are old men seated, Seeling ruined cities in the ashes. --Longfellow. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Ruin \Ru"in\, n. [OE. ruine, F. ruine, fr L. ruina, fr ruere rutum to fall with violence, to rush or tumble down.] 1. The act of falling or tumbling down fall. [Obs.] ``His ruin startled the other steeds.'' --Chapman. 2. Such a change of anything as destroys it or entirely defeats its object, or unfits it for use destruction; overthrow; as the ruin of a ship or an army; the ruin of a constitution or a government; the ruin of health or hopes. ``Ruin seize thee, ruthless king!'' --Gray. 3. That which is fallen down and become worthless from injury or decay; as his mind is a ruin; especially, in the plural, the remains of a destroyed, dilapidated, or desolate house, fortress, city, or the like The Veian and the Gabian towers shall fall, And one promiscuous ruin cover all Nor after length of years, a stone betray The place where once the very ruins lay. --Addison. The labor of a day will not build up a virtuous habit on the ruins of an old and vicious character. --Buckminster. 4. The state of being dcayed, or of having become ruined or worthless; as to be in ruins; to go to ruin. 5. That which promotes injury, decay, or destruction. The errors of young men are the ruin of business. --Bacon. Syn: Destruction; downfall; perdition; fall; overthrow; subversion; defeat; bane; pest; mischief. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Ruin \Ru"in\, v. i. To fall to ruins; to go to ruin; to become decayed or dilapidated; to perish. [R.] Though he his house of polished marble build, Yet shall it ruin like the moth's frail cell. --Sandys. If we are idle, and disturb the industrious in their business, we shall ruin the faster. --Locke. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: ruin n 1: the state of being decayed or destroyed [syn: {devastation}, {desolation}] 2: a ruined building; "they explored several Roman ruins" 3: the process of becoming dilapidated [syn: {dilapidation}] 4: an event that results in destruction [syn: {ruination}] 5: destruction achieved by wrecking something [syn: {laying waste}, {ruining}, {ruination}, {wrecking}] v 1: destroy completely; damage irreparably; "You have ruined my car by pouring sugar in the tank!"; "The tears ruined her make-up" [syn: {destroy}] 2: cause to fail: "This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election" 3: reduce to bankruptcy; "My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!" [syn: {bankrupt}, {break}] 4: reduce to ruins; "The country lay ruined after the war" From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]: RUIN, v. To destroy. Specifically, to destroy a maid's belief in the virtue of maids.
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