GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English
last match results
Found 3 definitions
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Ruin (?), 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The labor of a day will not build up a virtuous habit on the ruins of an old and vicious character. Buckminster.
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4. The state of being dcayed, or of having become ruined or worthless; as, “to be in ruins; to go to ruin”.
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5. That which promotes injury, decay, or destruction.
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The errors of young men are the ruin of business. Bacon.
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Syn. -- Destruction; downfall; perdition; fall; overthrow; subversion; defeat; bane; pest; mischief.
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Ruin, 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.
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this mortal house I'll ruin. Shak.
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By thee raised, I ruin all my foes. Milton.
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The eyes of other people are the eyes that ruin us. Franklin.
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By the fireside there are old men seated,
Seeling ruined cities in the ashes. Longfellow.
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Ruin, v. i. To fall to ruins; to go to ruin; to become decayed or dilapidated; to perish. [R.]
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Though he his house of polished marble build,
Yet shall it ruin like the moth's frail cell. Sandys.
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If we are idle, and disturb the industrious in their business, we shall ruin the faster. Locke.
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