Skip to content
ontologydriven
Sign out

Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

ruin en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈɹuː.ɪn/ (UK, US)
  • [ˈɹuwɪn] (UK, US)
  • (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English ruyne, ruine, from Old French ruine, from Latin ruīna (“overthrow, ruin”), from ruō (“to fall down, tumble, sink in ruin, rush”).

Meanings

  1. (countable, in-plural, sometimes) The remains of a destroyed or dilapidated construction, such as a house or castle.
    • 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. 1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
    • 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. 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
    • Not only is Jerusalem not a ruin, but she is at the height of her glory compared to all of Jewish history! 2024, David Golinkin, “Naḥem On Tisha B'Av: Is It Permissible To Change The Wording?”, in Responsa in a Moment, volume 4, page 136:
    • The labour of a day will not build up a virtuous habit on the ruins of an old and vicious character. a. 1812, Joseph Stevens Buckminster, sermon:
    • Dr. Manuel: No one is saved. The age of humanity is ended. Soon, only ruin and corpses will remain. 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Eden Prime:
  2. (uncountable) The state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed.
    • The monastery has fallen into ruin.
  3. (uncountable) Something that leads to serious trouble or destruction.
    • The errors of young men are the ruin of business. 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Youth and Age”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
    • Gambling has been the ruin of many.
    • 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. 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:
  4. (countable, uncountable) The act of ruining something.
  5. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, countable, uncountable) The act of ruining something. ▸ Clipping of ruined orgasm
  6. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A fall or tumble.
    • His ruin startled th’ other steeds. [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:
  7. (countable, uncountable) A change that destroys or defeats something; destruction; overthrow.
    • 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? 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 2:
    • the ruin of a constitution or a government
    • the ruin of health or hopes
    • the ruin of a ship or an army
    • Ruin seize thee, ruthless king! 1768, Thomas Gray, The Bard:
  8. (uncountable) Complete financial loss; bankruptcy.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
ruins Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

ruinism · wrack and ruin · mother's ruin · ruin theory · blue ruin · rack and ruin · ruin-restoration creationism · ruin of the year · ruiniform · ruination · modern ruin · ruinlike · gambler's ruin · ruin pub · ruin value · ruinless

Synonyms

wreckage · wreckage

Translations (185)

ms runtuhan (remains of destroyed construction) · pa ਖੰਡਰ (remains of destroyed construction) · be разва́ліна (remains of destroyed construction) · ang hryre (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · es ruina (remains of destroyed construction) · sh razvala (remains of destroyed construction) · vec rovina (remains of destroyed construction) · nl puin (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · tk haraba (remains of destroyed construction) · uk розва́лина (remains of destroyed construction) · sc roghina (remains of destroyed construction) · cs zřícenina (remains of destroyed construction) · nb ruin (something which leads to serious troubles) · ug خارابە (remains of destroyed construction) · hy փլատակ (remains of destroyed construction) · cmn 禍因 /祸因 (something which leads to serious troubles) · rm ruina (remains of destroyed construction) · pl ruina (remains of destroyed construction) · ru разва́лина (remains of destroyed construction) · hi खँडहर (remains of destroyed construction) · hi खंडहर (remains of destroyed construction) · cy adfeiliad (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · rm ruigna (remains of destroyed construction) · it rovina (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ka ნანგრევი (remains of destroyed construction) · sa नाश (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ang hryre (something which leads to serious troubles) · hu rom (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · fa خراب (remains of destroyed construction) · tr harabe (remains of destroyed construction) · sv ruin (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ca ruïna (remains of destroyed construction) · tl gapo (remains of destroyed construction) · hi विनाश (something which leads to serious troubles) · eo ruino (remains of destroyed construction) · izh raunio (remains of destroyed construction) · tg вайрона (remains of destroyed construction) · fy Ruïne (remains of destroyed construction) · cmn 廢墟 /废墟 (remains of destroyed construction) · az viranə (remains of destroyed construction) · el ερείπιο (remains of destroyed construction) · grc λοιγός (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · hu rom (remains of destroyed construction) · vec ruina (remains of destroyed construction) · ja 崩壊 (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · fr ruine (something which leads to serious troubles) · sc arruinu (remains of destroyed construction) · cy adfail (remains of destroyed construction) · it rovina (remains of destroyed construction) · rm ruegna (remains of destroyed construction) · tl bunlag (remains of destroyed construction) · mi ruhatanga (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · is rúst (remains of destroyed construction) · ky уранды (remains of destroyed construction) · he חׇרְבָּה (remains of destroyed construction) · tr kalıntı (remains of destroyed construction) · gd creach (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ru круше́ние (something which leads to serious troubles) · tr ören (remains of destroyed construction) · lv drupas (remains of destroyed construction) · vi hư hại (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ga scrios (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ko 폐허 (remains of destroyed construction) · fa ویرانه (remains of destroyed construction) · ar طَلَل (remains of destroyed construction) · gd tobhta (remains of destroyed construction) · sw gofu (remains of destroyed construction) · kk құланды (remains of destroyed construction) · ja 遺跡 (remains of destroyed construction) · sc orroghina (remains of destroyed construction) · az xarabazarlıq (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · uz xaroba (remains of destroyed construction) · grc ἐρείπιον (remains of destroyed construction) · ja 廃墟 (remains of destroyed construction) · tl pagkagapo (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · cmn 毀壞 /毁坏 (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · mk чавка́рница (remains of destroyed construction) · scn ruvina (remains of destroyed construction) · ru разоре́ние (something which leads to serious troubles) · sq gërmadhë (remains of destroyed construction) · pt ruína (remains of destroyed construction) · fi turmio (something which leads to serious troubles) · sk ruina (remains of destroyed construction) · nn ruin (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ga ballóg (remains of destroyed construction) · sh podorina (remains of destroyed construction) · ur کَھنْڈَر (remains of destroyed construction) · fur ruvine (remains of destroyed construction) · hy ավերակ (remains of destroyed construction) · sh ruševina (remains of destroyed construction) · ko 유적 (remains of destroyed construction) · sh razval (remains of destroyed construction) · tg хароба (remains of destroyed construction) · nl puinhoop (remains of destroyed construction) · nn ruin (remains of destroyed construction) · ckb شوێنەوار (remains of destroyed construction) · ru крах (something which leads to serious troubles) · cmn 毀滅 /毁灭 (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ur کَھنْڈَرَات (remains of destroyed construction) · ro ruină (remains of destroyed construction) · ast ruina (remains of destroyed construction) · da ruin (remains of destroyed construction) · hu omladék (remains of destroyed construction) · kmr xerabe (remains of destroyed construction) · nl verval (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · pt ruína (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · lt griuvėsiai (remains of destroyed construction) · bo གཡག་གོག (remains of destroyed construction) · ar خَرَاب (remains of destroyed construction) · tg димна (remains of destroyed construction) · ja 潰滅 (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ru прова́л (something which leads to serious troubles) · hi विनाश (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · az bərbadlıq (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · fi raunio (remains of destroyed construction) · nb ruin (remains of destroyed construction) · gd creach (something which leads to serious troubles) · it rovina (something which leads to serious troubles) · ru разру́ха (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ro ruină (something which leads to serious troubles) · ru руи́на (remains of destroyed construction) · sv ruin (remains of destroyed construction) · bg разру́ха (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · de Ruine (remains of destroyed construction) · fr ruine (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ro ruină (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · fi rappio (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · az xaraba (remains of destroyed construction) · es ruina (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · hi नाश (something which leads to serious troubles) · sk rozvalina (remains of destroyed construction) · kmr kavil (remains of destroyed construction) · bo གྱང་རོ (remains of destroyed construction) · ml നാശം (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · sh provalina (remains of destroyed construction) · kmr wêrane (remains of destroyed construction) · cs rozvalina (remains of destroyed construction) · la ruīna (remains of destroyed construction) · az viranəlik (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ru ги́бель (something which leads to serious troubles) · id puing (remains of destroyed construction) · kmr şûnwar (remains of destroyed construction) · hi भग्नावशेष (remains of destroyed construction) · ota خراب (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · bg крах (something which leads to serious troubles) · cmn 遺址 /遗址 (remains of destroyed construction) · bg прова́л (something which leads to serious troubles) · la ruīna (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ms puing (remains of destroyed construction) · et vare (remains of destroyed construction) · nv kitsʼiilí (remains of destroyed construction) · hu roncs (remains of destroyed construction) · nl ruïne (remains of destroyed construction) · be руі́на (remains of destroyed construction) · ur وِیرانَہ (remains of destroyed construction) · fr ruine (remains of destroyed construction) · bg руи́на (remains of destroyed construction) · ur خَرَابَہ (remains of destroyed construction) · tr yıkıntı (remains of destroyed construction) · tr virane (remains of destroyed construction) · fa خرابه (remains of destroyed construction) · az xarabalıq (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · mi ruhatanga (remains of destroyed construction) · vec roina (remains of destroyed construction) · nb ruin (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · cs ruina (remains of destroyed construction) · uk руї́на (remains of destroyed construction) · es ruina (something which leads to serious troubles) · mk руше́вина (remains of destroyed construction) · sl ruševina (remains of destroyed construction) · sh podor (remains of destroyed construction) · nl bouwval (remains of destroyed construction) · pt ruína (something which leads to serious troubles) · nn ruin (something which leads to serious troubles) · de Ruin (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · hi नाश (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · ota خراب (remains of destroyed construction) · pa ਢਾਠ (remains of destroyed construction) · ar خَرَابَة (remains of destroyed construction) · oc roïna (remains of destroyed construction) · mk урна́тина (remains of destroyed construction) · de Ruin (something which leads to serious troubles) · az pozğunluq (the state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed) · sh razvalina (remains of destroyed construction) · bg разва́лина (remains of destroyed construction)

ruin en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /ˈɹuː.ɪn/ (UK, US)
  • [ˈɹuwɪn] (UK, US)
  • (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English ruyne, ruine, from Old French ruine, from Latin ruīna (“overthrow, ruin”), from ruō (“to fall down, tumble, sink in ruin, rush”).

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To cause the fiscal ruin of; to bankrupt or drive out of business.
    • In one way, indeed, he bade fair to ruin us; for he kept on staying week after week, and at last month after month, so that all the money had been long exhausted... 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:
    • With all these purchases, you surely mean to ruin us!
  2. To destroy or render something no longer usable or operable.
    • He ruined his new white slacks by accidentally spilling oil on them.
  3. To destroy (e.g. a city) so as to leave ruins.
    • By the fireside there are old men seated, / Seeing ruined cities in the ashes. 1857, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Golden Mile-Stone:
  4. To upset or overturn the plans or progress of, or to have a disastrous effect on something.
    • My car breaking down just as I was on the road ruined my vacation.
  5. To make something less enjoyable or likeable.
    • I used to love that song, but being assaulted when that song was playing ruined the song for me.
  6. To make (someone) have a ruined orgasm.
  7. To reveal the ending of (a story); to spoil.
  8. (obsolete) To fall into a state of decay.
    • Though he his house of polisht marble build, / Yet shall it ruine like the Moth's fraile cell 1636, George Sandys, Paraphrase upon the Psalmes and upon the Hymnes dispersed throughout the Old and New Testaments:
  9. (historical, transitive) To seduce or debauch, and thus harm the social standing of.
    • The young libertine was notorious for ruining local girls.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
ruined Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
ruined Tense=Past lexicographic
ruint Tense=Past dialectal, nonstandard lexicographic
ruint Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part dialectal, nonstandard lexicographic
ruins Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
ruining Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Antonyms

unruin · build · construct · found · produce

Relateds

ruination · life-ruining · ruint · ruinable · ruiner · ruinous

Synonyms

put a crimp in · fordo · ruin · subvert · nuke · devastate · pauperize · raze · atomize · wipe out · jazz · diffuse · unbreed · overturn · undo · upset the applecart · annihilate · embeggar · blot out · ruinate · soil · mess up · erase · blotto · extinguish · disrupt · total · impoor · lay waste · mommick · crab · remove · immiserate · blight · race · eradicate · undo · stain · disturb · liquidate · poverish · botch · empoverish · mar · disintegrate · unexist · pollute · turn upside down · bumble · benothing · destroy · bugger up · poor · depauperize · ball up · wreck · sour · demolish · ravage · dissolve · ruin · pulverize · overthrow · exterminate · decompose · mess up · obliterate · harry · beggar · impoverish · queer · ruin · vitiate · fuck · fuck up · dash · mishandle · beggar · depauperate · ravel · destitute · mar · bewreck · ruinate · uproot · upset · fordo · bungle · aerosolize · contaminate · jack up · desolate · screw up · level · foil · destroy · eliminate · wreck · destitute · pull down · pauperize · extirpate · stamp out · corrupt · spoil · deprave · unmake · disperse · wipe off · waste

Translations (149)

ltg grauduot (to cause the economical ruin of) · ka გაფუჭება (to spoil) · es arruinar (to destroy) · fr plomber (to spoil) · fi pilata (to spoil) · hy կործանել (to cause the economical ruin of) · la populor (to cause the economical ruin of) · it rovinare (to destroy) · ja だめにする (to spoil) · ru разоря́ть (to cause the economical ruin of) · mk у́ништи (to cause the economical ruin of) · ml നശിപ്പിക്കുക (to spoil) · bg унищожа́ (to destroy) · tr mahvetmek (to destroy) · fi tärvellä (to cause the economical ruin of) · gl arruinar (to destroy) · uk зруйнува́ти (to cause the economical ruin of) · es desbaratar (to cause the economical ruin of) · da ødelægge (to destroy) · frr ferdiirwe (to spoil) · ru разру́шить (to cause the economical ruin of) · be руйнава́ць (to cause the economical ruin of) · gl esbandallar (to spoil) · ca arruïnar (to destroy) · he פִשֵּׁל (to cause the economical ruin of) · de ruinieren (to cause the economical ruin of) · es ruinar (to destroy) · ru разруша́ть (to destroy) · fi raunioittaa (to destroy) · ru испо́ртить (to cause the economical ruin of) · pt arruinar (to spoil) · ota بوزمق (to destroy) · cmn 破壞 /破坏 (to cause the economical ruin of) · sv ruinera (to cause the economical ruin of) · ru разру́шить (to destroy) · lt griauti (to cause the economical ruin of) · gd creach (to cause the economical ruin of) · es arruinar (to cause the economical ruin of) · fi tuhota (to cause the economical ruin of) · chr ᎠᏲᏍᏗᎭ (to destroy) · es estropear (to destroy) · uk зни́щити (to cause the economical ruin of) · fr ruiner (to cause the economical ruin of) · de ruinieren (to spoil) · sk ruinovať (to cause the economical ruin of) · de zerstören (to destroy) · de kaputtmachen (to destroy) · la populor (to destroy) · el καταστρέφω (to cause the economical ruin of) · bg разоря́вам (to cause the economical ruin of) · be знішча́ць (to cause the economical ruin of) · pt arruinar (to cause the economical ruin of) · de vernichten (to destroy) · da ruinere (to cause the economical ruin of) · de ruinieren (to destroy) · bg разва́лям (to spoil) · hu romba dönt (to cause the economical ruin of) · ru по́ртить (to cause the economical ruin of) · cmn 毀 /毁 (to cause the economical ruin of) · mi whakapōhara (to cause the economical ruin of) · pt arruinar (to destroy) · fr foutre en l'air (to spoil) · ga creach (to cause the economical ruin of) · de verderben (to spoil) · hu tönkretesz (to cause the economical ruin of) · he פישל (to cause the economical ruin of) · ota ییقمق (to destroy) · ja 破壊する (to destroy) · ko 붕괴시키다 (to cause the economical ruin of) · cs zruinovat (to cause the economical ruin of) · de kaputtmachen (to spoil) · bg разоря́ (to cause the economical ruin of) · oc arroïnar (to cause the economical ruin of) · nl ruïneren (to cause the economical ruin of) · ru разруша́ть (to cause the economical ruin of) · ml നശിപ്പിക്കുക (to destroy) · be ні́шчыць (to cause the economical ruin of) · he הָרַס (to cause the economical ruin of) · be зруйнава́ць (to cause the economical ruin of) · ja 破産させる (to cause the economical ruin of) · chr ᎠᏲᏍᏙᏗ (to cause the economical ruin of) · mi whakapakaru (to destroy) · ja 滅ぼす (to cause the economical ruin of) · ru уничтожа́ть (to destroy) · pt destruir (to spoil) · ru разори́ть (to cause the economical ruin of) · fr foutre en l'air (to destroy) · ja 潰す (to spoil) · fr ruiner (to destroy) · es dar al traste (to spoil) · et rikkuma (to spoil) · bg разваля́ (to spoil) · ca espatllar (to destroy) · ar دَمَّرَ (to cause the economical ruin of) · fr ruiner (to spoil) · ka ნგრევა (to cause the economical ruin of) · he דָּפַק (to cause the economical ruin of) · ru испортить (to spoil) · ro strica (to cause the economical ruin of) · uk ни́щити (to cause the economical ruin of) · ja 打倒する (to cause the economical ruin of) · cs ruinovat (to cause the economical ruin of) · tr mahvetmek (to spoil) · fr abîmer (to destroy) · de vernichten (to cause the economical ruin of) · lv graut (to cause the economical ruin of) · ota بوزمق (to spoil) · bg унищожа́вам (to destroy) · ja めちゃめちゃにする (to spoil) · az çapmaq (to cause the economical ruin of) · oc arroïnar (to destroy) · bg разруша́вам (to destroy) · uk руйнува́ти (to cause the economical ruin of) · uk зни́щувати (to cause the economical ruin of) · mk у́ништи (to destroy) · fi raunioittaa (to cause the economical ruin of) · sh upropastiti (to spoil) · gl arruinar (to spoil) · tr mahvetmek (to cause the economical ruin of) · bg унищожа́вам (to cause the economical ruin of) · mk упро́пасти (to spoil) · ca arruïnar (to cause the economical ruin of) · la ruīnō (to destroy) · bg разруша́ (to destroy) · got 𐍂𐌹𐌿𐍂𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to spoil) · hu lerombol (to cause the economical ruin of) · bg унищожа́ (to cause the economical ruin of) · izh raisata (to destroy) · grc φθείρω (to spoil) · sv ödelägga (to cause the economical ruin of) · ko 무너뜨리다 (to cause the economical ruin of) · ru по́ртить (to spoil) · cmn 破壞 /破坏 (to destroy) · wa rwiner (to cause the economical ruin of) · ru уничто́жить (to destroy) · sk zruinovať (to cause the economical ruin of) · de auf die Knie zwingen (to cause the economical ruin of) · ja めちゃめちゃにする (to destroy) · fr massacrer (to destroy) · el καταστρέφω (to destroy) · ja 潰す (to cause the economical ruin of) · ja 打ち壊す (to destroy) · pl zrujnować (to cause the economical ruin of) · be зні́шчыць (to cause the economical ruin of) · pl rujnować (to cause the economical ruin of) · fr gâcher (to spoil) · sh упропастити (to spoil) · fi pilata (to cause the economical ruin of) · pt acabar com (to spoil)