# ruin

Pronunciation: say "ROO-in" /ˈɹuː.ɪn/

## Noun

1. The remaining parts of a destroyed or decaying building, such as a house or castle.
   - Simple: What is left of a building that has fallen down or been destroyed.
   - _A crumbling ruin stood where the manor house once welcomed guests._
   - _Tourists wander among the ruins of the bombed cathedral._
5. The condition of being destroyed, decayed, or fallen into collapse.
   - Simple: The state of being broken down, destroyed, or fallen apart.
   - _The once-thriving city now lay in ruin after the long siege._
   - _Decades of abandonment brought the mansion to total ruin._
6. Destruction or overthrow; a change that defeats or brings down something.
   - Simple: The destruction or downfall of something, often happening suddenly.
   - _The general's defeat marked the ruin of the entire kingdom._
   - _Greed and corruption hastened the ruin of the republic._
8. A thing or cause that leads someone to serious trouble or destruction.
   - Simple: Something that brings a person serious trouble or destruction.
   - _Drink proved to be the ruin of many talented men._
   - _Her reckless spending was the ruin of the business._
9. The act or process of bringing something to destruction.
   - Simple: The act of destroying or wrecking something.
   - _Investigators blamed the contractor for the deliberate ruin of the old theater._
   - _His careless words led to the ruin of their long friendship._
10. Complete loss of one's money or wealth; bankruptcy.
   - Simple: The complete loss of all your money, leaving you bankrupt.
   - _The market crash drove thousands of families to ruin._
   - _One lawsuit was enough to spell ruin for the small firm._

## Verb

2. To destroy something or leave it no longer usable or working.
   - Simple: To damage something so badly that it can no longer be used.
   - _A single power surge can ruin sensitive electronic equipment._
   - _The spilled coffee ruined her laptop completely._
3. To derail someone's plans or progress, or to do disastrous damage to something.
   - Simple: To spoil someone's plans or cause big problems for something.
   - _The scandal ruined his chances of becoming mayor._
   - _Careless mistakes can ruin years of careful work._
4. To make something less enjoyable or likeable than it was.
   - Simple: To make something less fun or pleasant to enjoy.
   - _The constant interruptions ruined the concert for the audience._
   - _A bad attitude can ruin even the most exciting trip._
7. To reveal the ending of a story, spoiling it for someone.
   - Simple: To tell the ending of a story before someone has seen it.
   - _A careless tweet ruined the season finale for millions of fans._
   - _Reviewers who ruin major plot twists frustrate their readers._
11. To cause someone's financial collapse; to bankrupt or drive out of business.
   - Simple: To make a person or business lose all their money.
   - _Predatory lenders ruined countless homeowners during the crisis._
   - _A long price war can ruin even established companies._
12. To seduce someone and thereby damage their reputation and social standing.
   - Simple: To harm someone's good name by leading them into a shameful love affair.
   - _The novel's villain sets out to ruin an innocent governess and abandon her._
   - _Society whispered that the baronet had ruined more than one maidservant._

## Verb

13. To fall gradually into a state of decay or collapse. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To slowly fall apart and decay over time.
   - _The manor ruined steadily once its owners departed._
   - _Without repair, even the strongest towers will ruin in time._

## Noun

14. An act of falling or tumbling down. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A fall or tumble to the ground.
   - _The horseman suffered a heavy ruin when his mount stumbled._
   - _A sudden ruin down the staircase left her badly bruised._

## Origin

From Middle English ruyne, borrowed through Old French ruine from Latin ruīna ("overthrow, ruin"), which comes from ruō ("I fall down, tumble, sink in ruin, rush").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/ruin (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).