ruin

ru·in  (rn)

n.

1. Total destruction or disintegration, either physical, moral, social, or economic.

2. A cause of total destruction.

3.

a. The act of destroying totally.

b. A destroyed person, object, or building.

4. The remains of something destroyed, disintegrated, or decayed. Often used in the plural: studied the ruins of ancient Greece.

v. ru·ined, ru·in·ing, ru·ins

v.tr.

1. To destroy completely; demolish.

2. To harm irreparably.

3. To reduce to poverty or bankruptcy.

4. To deprive of chastity.

v.intr.

To fall into ruin.

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

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ruin·a·ble adj.

ruin·er n.

Synonyms: ruin, raze, demolish, destroy, wreck
These verbs mean to injure and deprive somethingor, less often, someoneof usefulness, soundness, or value. Ruin usually implies irretrievable harm but not necessarily total destruction: "You will ruin no more lives as you ruined mine" (Arthur Conan Doyle).
Raze, demolish, and destroy can all imply reduction to ruins or even complete obliteration: "raze what was left of the city from the surface of the earth" (John Lothrop Motley). The prosecutor demolished the opposition's argument. "I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness" (Allen Ginsberg).
To wreck is to ruin in or as if in a violent collision: "The Boers had just wrecked a British military train" (Arnold Bennett).
When wreck is used in referring to the ruination of a person or his or her hopes or reputation, it implies irreparable shattering: "Coleridge, poet and philosopher wrecked in a mist of opium" (Matthew Arnold).

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ruin [ˈruːɪn]

n

1. 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

1. (tr) to bring to ruin; destroy

2. (tr) to injure or spoil the town has been ruined with tower blocks

3. (intr) Archaic or poetic to fall into ruins; collapse

[from Old French ruine, from Latin ruīna a falling down, from ruere to fall violently]

ruinable  adj

ruiner  n

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	ruin - an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction; "you have brought ruin on this entire family" ruination 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 dilapidation decay - the process of gradually becoming inferior
	4.	ruin - an event that results in destruction ruination 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 reputation downfall, ruination 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 ruined laying waste, ruining, wrecking, ruination destruction, devastation - the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists
Verb	1.	ruin - destroy completely; damage irreparably; "You have ruined my car by pouring sugar in the tank!"; "The tears ruined her make-up" destroy 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, rape, 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, queer, 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 bankruptcy; "My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!"; "The slump in the financial markets smashed him" bankrupt, smash, break 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" deflower 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"

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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.

3. destruction, fall, the end, breakdown, damage, defeat, failure, crash, collapse, wreck, overthrow, undoing, havoc, Waterloo, downfall, devastation, dissolution, subversion, nemesis, crackup (informal) It is the ruin of society.
destruction success, victory, triumph, creation, preservation

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.

3. derelict, ruined, broken down, falling apart, ramshackle, dilapidated, falling to pieces, tumbledown The building was in ruins.

Related words
fear atephobia

Translations

ruin [ˈruːɪn]

A. N

1. (= building) → ruina f
the ruins of a castle → las ruinas or los restos de un castillo
to fall into ruin → convertirse en ruinas
the town lay or was in ruins → la ciudad estaba en ruinas

2. (fig) → ruina f, perdición f
he faced the prospect of financial ruin → se enfrentaba a la posibilidad de la ruina económica or de acabar en la bancarrota
her hopes were in ruins → sus esperanzas estaban destruidas
my life/career is in ruins → mi vida/carrera está destruida or arruinada
drink will be his ruin or the ruin of him → el alcohol será su ruina or su perdición
the country has gone to ruin → el 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 final → dio 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 appetite → no te comas eso ahora, se te quitarán las ganas de comer
their chatter ruined my enjoyment of the concert → su charla no me dejó disfrutar del concierto

3. [+ person] (financially) → arruinar; (morally) → perder
what ruined him was gambling → lo que le perdió fue el juego, el juego fue su ruina

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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)

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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 ruin → der 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 hopes → das Ende meiner Hoffnungen; it will be the ruin of him → das wird ihn ruinieren; you will be the ruin of me → du 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) building → zerstören; hopes also → zunichtemachen; chances, reputation, health, sb’s life also → ruinieren; (financially, socially) person → ruinieren, zugrunde or zu Grunde richten; (= spoil) clothes, event, enjoyment, child, horse → verderben; they ruined my birthday party → sie haben (mir) die Geburtstagsfeier verdorben

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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. vt → rovinare

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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. vt → rovinare

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ruin

n ruin [ˈruːin]

1 a broken, collapsed or decayed state the ruin of a city. verval خَراب، دَمار разруха zkáza, zánik, troska forfald die Ruine ερείπιο, συντρίμμι ruina varemed فروریزی دیوار؛ خرابه raunio ruine הֶרֶס विनाश, विध्वंस, तबाही, बरबादी ruševina romlás, pusztulás keadaan rusak rúst rovina, rudere 廃虚 파괴 žlugimas drupas; gruveši musnah ru{#225}{#139}{#225}ne ødeleggelse, ruin ruina ruína ruină развалины, руины pád, zánik razvalina ruina ruin[], spillror ซากปรักหักพัง harabe 摧毀，廢墟 руїни خرابی sự đổ nát 毁坏，废墟

2 a cause of collapse, decay etc Drink was his ruin. verval هَلاك، إنْهِيار гибел zhouba ruin der Ruin καταστροφή perdición, ruina hukatus تباهی tuho perte חוּרבָּן खंडहर uništenje veszte vkinek penyebab kehancuran hrösun, glötun rovina 破滅 파멸의 원인 pragaištis, pražūtis posts; bojāeja kebinasaan ondergand undergang, ruin zguba ruína pierzanie погибель skaza poguba propast undergång, fördärv, olycka ความพินาศ yıkım nedeni, felâket sebebi 垮台或毀滅的原因 загибель; катастрофа بربادی nguyên nhân thất bại 祸因

3 financial disaster; complete loss of money The company is facing ruin. ondergang إنْهِيار مالي разорение úpadek, zhroucení ruin der Ruin (οικονομική) καταστροφή, χρεοκοπία ruina häving, laostumine ورشکستگی konkurssi ruine הִתמוֹטטוּת अध-पतन, सर्वनाश, सत्यानाश propast összeomlás kebangkrutan gjaldþrot crollo, disastro 破産 파산 krachas sabrukums; bankrots; krahs kerugian ondergang ruin, undergang ruina finansowa ruína dezastru finan­ciar крах úpadok polom slom ruin, ruinerande ความล้มละลาย iflas 破產 крах; розорення مالی تباہی phá sản 破产

v

1 to cause ruin to The scandal ruined his career. ruïneer يُخَرِّب، يُدَمِّر разрушавам zruinovat ruinere ruinieren καταστρέφω arruinar hävitama سبب تباهی شدن tuhota ruiner לַהֲרוֹס नष्ट करना, विध्वंस करना, बरामद करना upropastiti tönkretesz menghancurkan eyðileggja rovinare 破滅させる 망쳐놓다 sužlugdyti, sugriauti sagraut; iznīcināt hancur ru{#225}{#139}{#225}neren ødelegge, ruinere zrujnować arruinar a ruina разрушать zruinovať uničiti upropastiti ruinera, fördärva ทำให้พินาศ mahvetmek 毀掉 руйнувати; губити تباہ کرنا làm tiêu tan 使...毁灭

2 to spoil; to treat too indulgently You are ruining that child! verwen, bederf يُتْلِف، يُفْسِد съсипвам zkazit ødelægge verderben κακομαθαίνω estropear rikkuma به درد نخر کردن؛ از راه به در کردن pilata gâter לְקַלקֵל तबाह करना, बरर्बाद करना upropaštavati, uništavati tönkretesz memanjakan eyðileggja, spilla rovinare だめにする 타락시키다 gadinti bojāt; lutināt merosakkan bederven skjemme bort, ødelegge psuć estragar a strica; a răsfăţa портить skaziť razvajati pokvariti skämma bort ทำให้เสีย şımartmak 寵壞 занапащати, псувати برباد کرنا làm hư hỏng 宠坏

n ruiˈnation

ruïnering خَراب гибел zničení ruin; ødelæggelse die Zerstörung καταστροφή ruina hävitamine تباهی؛ ناوبدی hävitys ruine הֲרִיסָה विनाश, ध्वंस, बरबादी, तबाही uništavanje tönkretétel; pusztulás kerusakan eyðilegging; gjaldþrot rovina 破滅 파멸, 파산; 파멸의 원인 pražūtis, sužlugdymas bojāšana kemusnahan ondergang ødeleggelse, ruinering rujnacja ruína ruinare разорение; гибель zničenie, zmarenie, skrachovanie uničenje uništavanje ruinering, fördärv การล่มจม mahvetme; harap etme 毀坏 загибель; крах تباہی sự làm hỏng 毁坏

adj ruined

1 collapsed; decayed ruined houses. vervalle مُدَمَّر съсипан zřícený, rozpadlý forfalden zerstört που έχει καταρρεύσει, ερειπωμένος en ruinas hävinud, varemetes ویران raunioitunut en ruine הָרוּס uništen elpusztult hancur sem er í niðurníðslu in rovina 破滅した 파괴된 sugriuvęs, sugriautas sagrauts runtuh vervallen ødelagt, ruinert zrujnowany arruinado în ruină разрушенный zrútený, rozpadnutý razdejan uništen förfallen, i ruiner ที่พังทลาย harap, viran 毀壞的，破敗的 зруйнований تباہ شدہ bị phá hủy 毁灭的

2 completely spoiled My dress is ruined! geruïneer تالِف съсипан zničený ødelagt ruiniert κατεστραμμένος destrozado rikutud خراب pilalla gâché הָרוּס upropašten tönkrement rusak eyðilagður rovinato だいなしになった 완전히 망친 sugadintas, sunaikintas pilnīgi sabojāts rosak vernield ødelagt zniszczony arruinado stri­­­cat погубленный zničený uničen upropašten fördärvad, förstörd ย่อยยับ berbat olmuş 全毀了 зіпсований مکمل طور سے برباد làm hư hỏng 完全损坏的

n pl ruins

collapsed and decayed buildings the ruins of the castle. bouvalle خَرائِب، أطْلال руини trosky ruiner die Ruinen(pl.) ερείπια (πληθ.) ruinas varemed خرابه ها rauniot ruines הֲרִיסוֹת खंडहर, भग्रावशेष, ध्वंसावेश ruševine romok reruntuhan rústir rovine, ruderi 廃虚 파괴의 잔해물 griuvėsiai drupas runtuhan ru{#225}{#139}{#225}nes ruiner ruiny ruínas ruine руины trosky ruševine ruševina ruin[] ซากปรักหักพัง harabe(ler) 廢墟 руїни کھنڈرات đống đổ nát 废墟

in ruins

in a ruined state The town lay in ruins. vervalle, as murasies مُدَمَّرَه، في حالة خَراب в развалини v troskách i ruiner in Schutt und Asche ερειπωμένος en ruinas varemetes خرابه بودن؛ مخروبه بودن raunioituneena en ruine בְּמַצָב הָרוס विध्वस्त, विनष्ट u ruševinama romokban hancur í niðurníðslu/rúst in rovina 荒廃して 폐허가 되어 griuvėsiuose, sugriautas drupās kebinasaan in puin i ruiner w ruinie em ruínas în ruină в руинах v troskách v ruševinah u ruševinama i ruiner อยู่ในภาวะล่มสลาย harabeye dönmüş, viran olmuş 成了廢墟 у руїнах تباہی کی حالت میں trong tình trạng đổ nát 废墟状态

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ruin → خراب, يُدَمِر zkáza, zkazit ruin, ruinere Ruine, zerstören ερείπιο, καταστρέφω arruinar, ruina tuho, tuhota ruine, ruiner ruševina, uništiti rovina, rovinare 荒廃, 荒廃させる 파괴하다, 폐허 ruïne, ruïneren ruin, ruinere ruina, zrujnować arruinar, ruína крах, разрушать förstöra, ruin ความพินาศ, ทำให้พินาศ mahvetmek, tahribat sự đổ nát, tàn phá 废墟, 毁灭