ruin

Etymology

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

noun

1. (countable, sometimes in the plural) The remains of a destroyed or dilapidated construction, such as a house or castle.
   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
   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
   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, →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.
   Gambling has been the ruin of many.
4. The act of ruining something.
5. (obsolete) A fall or tumble.
6. A change that destroys or defeats something; destruction; overthrow.
   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! 1768, Thomas Gray, The Bard
7. (uncountable) Complete financial loss; bankruptcy.

verb

1. (transitive) To cause the fiscal ruin of; to bankrupt or drive out of business.
   With all these purchases, you surely mean to ruin us!
2. To destroy or make something no longer usable.
   He ruined his new white slacks by accidentally spilling oil on them.
   By the fireside there are old men seated, / Seeing ruined cities in the ashes. 1857, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Golden Mile-Stone
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. To reveal the ending of (a story); to spoil.
6. (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
7. (transitive, historical) To seduce or debauch, and thus harm the social standing of.
   The young libertine was notorious for ruining local girls.