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Entry 7 senses · 3 variants Webster, 1913

Ruin

/ro͞o'-ən/ · Ru·in · IPA /ˈɹuː.ɪn/
01 n. The act of falling or tumbling down; fall.
  1. 1.
    The act of falling or tumbling down; fall.[Obs.]
  2. 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.
  3. 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. 4.
    The state of being dcayed, or of having become ruined or worthless; as, to be in ruins; to go to ruin.
  5. 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.
02 v. t. 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 i…
imp. & p. p. Ruined; p. pr. & vb. n. Ruining
  1. 1.
    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.
03 v. i. To fall to ruins; to go to ruin; to become decayed or dilapidated; to perish.
  1. 1.
    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.