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1. Dictionary

   Ru·in

   /ˈro͞oˌin/

   

   noun

   • 1. the physical destruction or disintegration of something or the state of disintegrating or being destroyed: "a large white house falling into gentle ruin"
   • ▪ the remains of a building, typically an old one, that has suffered much damage or disintegration: "the ruins of the castle"
   • ▪ the disastrous disintegration of someone's life: "the ruin and heartbreak wrought by alcohol, divorce, and violence"
   • ▪ the cause of the disintegration of a person's life or loss of their assets: "they don't know how to say no, and that's been their ruin"
   • ▪ the complete loss of one's money and other assets: "the financial cost could mean ruin"

   verb

   • 1. reduce (a building or place) to a state of decay, collapse, or disintegration: "the castle was ruined when dynamite was used to demolish one of the corner towers" Similar destroydevastatelay wasteleave in ruinswreak havoc onravageleave desolaterazedemolishblastwreckwipe outflattenlevelcrusharchaic:wasteOpposite rebuildrepair
   • ▪ cause great and usually irreparable damage or harm to; have a disastrous effect on: "a noisy freeway has ruined village life" Similar wreckdestroydevastatewreak havoc onreduce to nothingdamagespoilmarinjureblastblightsmashshatterdashtorpedoscotchmake a mess ofmess upsabotagepoisoninformal:louse upscrew upfoul upput the kibosh onbanjaxdo forblow a hole innixqueerscuppercock updishmullereuchrecruelvulgar slang:fuck uparchaic:bring to naughtOpposite restoresave
   • ▪ reduce to a state of poverty: "they were ruined by the highest interest rates this century" Similar bankruptmake bankruptcause to go bankruptmake insolventimpoverishreduce to penury/destitutionbring to ruinbring someone to their kneeswipe outbreakcripplerare:pauperizebeggar
   • 2. fall headlong or with a crash: literary "carriages go ruining over the brink from time to time"

   Word Origin Middle English (in the sense ‘collapse of a building’): from Old French ruine, from Latin ruina, from ruere ‘to fall’.

   Scrabble Points: 4

   • R

     1

   • U

     1

   • I

     1

   • N

     1

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2. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishRUIN | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

   • Cached

   ruin noun (LOSING EVERYTHING) a situation in which someone has lost everything such as all their money or their job: The collapse of the bank has left many people in financial ruin. be/lie in ruins. to be in a very bad state: The war left one million people dead and the country in ruins. (Definition of ruin from the Cambridge Learner's ...

3. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionaryRUIN | definition in the Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary

   • Cached

   ruin noun (LOSING EVERYTHING) a situation in which someone has lost everything such as all their money or their job: The collapse of the bank has left many people in financial ruin. be/lie in ruins. to be in a very bad state: The war left one million people dead and the country in ruins.

4. www.thefreedictionary.com › ruinesRuin - definition of ruin by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › ruines

   • Cached

   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.

5. dictionary.cambridge.org › essential-american-english › ruinruin | definition in the Cambridge Essential American Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › essential-american-english › ruin

   • Cached

   Definition of ruin in Essential American English Dictionary. ruin. verb. us / ˈru·ɪn/ to spoil or destroy something: They were late and the dinner was ruined. ruin. noun. us / ˈru·ɪn/ B1. the broken parts that are left from an old building or town: Thousand of tourists wander around these ancient ruins every year.

6. www.oed.com › dictionary › ruin_nruin, n. meanings, etymology and more - Oxford English Dictionary

   www.oed.com › dictionary › ruin_n

   • Cached

   What does the noun ruin mean? There are 19 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun ruin, two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. ruin has developed meanings and uses in subjects including.

7. www.wordsmyth.netruin | Dictionaries and vocabulary tools for English language ...

   www.wordsmyth.net

   • Cached

   noun, transitive verb, intransitive verb. features: Word Combinations ( noun, verb ), Word Builder. Word Builder: ruin +. ruined: wrecked; destroyed. The meaning of ruin. Definition of ruin. English dictionary and integrated thesaurus for learners, writers, teachers, and students with advanced, intermediate, and beginner levels.

8. www.betterwordsonline.com › dictionary › ruinRuin - Definition, Meaning, Synonyms, Etymology

   www.betterwordsonline.com › dictionary › ruin

   • Cached

   noun. /ˈru ɪn/ IPA. Dictionary definition of 'ruin' The state of destruction, decay, or disrepair of a building, structure, or place. "The ancient ruin stood as a haunting reminder of a civilization long gone." Detailed meaning of 'ruin' It represents the remnants or remains of something that was once whole or in a better condition.