Library / English Dictionary

RUIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Destruction achieved by causing something to be wrecked or ruined

Synonyms:

laying waste; ruin; ruination; ruining; wrecking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("ruin" is a kind of...):

destruction; devastation (the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists)

Derivation:

ruin (destroy completely; damage irreparably)

ruin (reduce to ruins)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A ruined building

Example:

they explored several Roman ruins

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("ruin" is a kind of...):

building; edifice (a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place)

Derivation:

ruin (fall into ruin)

ruin (reduce to ruins)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Failure that results in a loss of position or reputation

Synonyms:

downfall; ruin; ruination

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("ruin" is a kind of...):

failure (an event that does not accomplish its intended purpose)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ruin"):

finish (the downfall of someone (as of persons on one side of a conflict))

Derivation:

ruin (destroy or cause to fail)

Sense 4

Meaning:

An event that results in destruction

Synonyms:

ruin; ruination

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("ruin" is a kind of...):

demolition; destruction; wipeout (an event (or the result of an event) that completely destroys something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ruin"):

desolation; devastation (an event that results in total destruction)

shipwreck (an irretrievable loss)

Derivation:

ruin (destroy completely; damage irreparably)

ruinous (extremely harmful; bringing physical or financial ruin)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The process of becoming dilapidated

Synonyms:

dilapidation; ruin

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Hypernyms ("ruin" is a kind of...):

decay (the process of gradually becoming inferior)

Derivation:

ruin (fall into ruin)

Sense 6

Meaning:

An irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction

Example:

you have brought ruin on this entire family

Synonyms:

ruin; ruination

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("ruin" is a kind of...):

desolation; devastation (the state of being decayed or destroyed)

Derivation:

ruin (destroy completely; damage irreparably)

ruinous (extremely harmful; bringing physical or financial ruin)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Fall into ruin

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "ruin" is one way to...):

crumble; decay; dilapidate (fall into decay or ruin)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

ruin (a ruined building)

ruin (the process of becoming dilapidated)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Deprive of virginity

Example:

This dirty old man deflowered several young girls in the village

Synonyms:

deflower; ruin

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "ruin" is one way to...):

copulate; couple; mate; pair (engage in sexual intercourse)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Destroy completely; damage irreparably

Example:

The tears ruined her make-up

Synonyms:

destroy; ruin

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ruin"):

wash out (wear or destroy by the force of water)

kick down; kick in (open violently)

bust up; wrack; wreck (smash or break forcefully)

shipwreck (destroy a ship)

consume (destroy completely)

explode (destroy by exploding)

despoil; plunder; rape; spoil; violate (destroy and strip of its possession)

devour (destroy completely)

get (overcome or destroy)

subvert (destroy completely)

do a job on (destroy completely or make ugly or useless)

vandalise; vandalize (destroy wantonly, as through acts of vandalism)

break; bust (ruin completely)

break (find a flaw in)

harry; ravage (make a pillaging or destructive raid on (a place), as in wartimes)

desolate; devastate; lay waste to; ravage; scourge; waste (cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly)

burn; burn down; fire (destroy by fire)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

ruining (destruction achieved by causing something to be wrecked or ruined)

ruiner (a person who destroys or ruins or lays waste to)

ruination (destruction achieved by causing something to be wrecked or ruined)

ruin (an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction)

ruin (an event that results in destruction)

ruin (destruction achieved by causing something to be wrecked or ruined)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Reduce to ruins

Example:

The country lay ruined after the war

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "ruin" is one way to...):

desolate; devastate; lay waste to; ravage; scourge; waste (cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

ruin (destruction achieved by causing something to be wrecked or ruined)

ruin (a ruined building)

ruination (an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction)

ruiner (a person who destroys or ruins or lays waste to)

ruining (destruction achieved by causing something to be wrecked or ruined)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Reduce to bankruptcy

Example:

The slump in the financial markets smashed him

Synonyms:

bankrupt; break; ruin; smash

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "ruin" is one way to...):

impoverish (make poor)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sense 6

Meaning:

Destroy or cause to fail

Example:

This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "ruin" is one way to...):

baffle; bilk; cross; foil; frustrate; queer; scotch; spoil; thwart (hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ruin"):

undo (cause the ruin or downfall of)

break (cause the failure or ruin of)

shipwreck (ruin utterly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

ruin (failure that results in a loss of position or reputation)

ruiner (a person who destroys or ruins or lays waste to)

Credits

 Context examples: 

I answered that it had ceased to be a private matter, but had become a public one, since the ruined coronet was national property.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You are determined to ruin him in the opinion of all his friends, and make him the contempt of the world.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

I do not like ruined, tattered cottages.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

It was unfortunately lost with so much else in the same boat accident which ruined my photographs.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It caught in the window, the tower tottered, leaned forward, fell with a crash, and buried the unhappy lovers in the ruins.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Ah, cospetto! we are ruined and destroyed!

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He have done this alone; all alone! from a ruin tomb in a forgotten land.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

If all took place that might take place among the circle of her friends, Hartfield must be comparatively deserted; and she left to cheer her father with the spirits only of ruined happiness.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

As I followed him, I noted that in spite of rack and ruin a rough order obtained.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Neither the dissipations of the past—and she had lived very much in the world—nor the restrictions of the present, neither sickness nor sorrow seemed to have closed her heart or ruined her spirits.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)