KJV Dictionary Definition: ruin

ruin

RU'IN, n. L. ruo, to fall, to rush down.

1. Destruction; fall; overthrow; defeat; that change of any thing which destroys it, or entirely defeats its object, or unfits it for use; as the ruin of a house; the ruin of a ship or an army; the ruin of a constitution of government; the ruin of health; the ruin of commerce; the ruin of public or private happiness; the ruin of a project.

2. Mischief; bane; that which destroys.

The errors of young men are the ruin of business.

3. Ruin, more generally ruins, the remains of a decayed or demolished city, house, fortress, or any work of art or other thing; as the ruins of Balbec, Palmyra or Persepolis; the ruins of a wall; a castle in ruins.

The labor of a day will not build up a virtuous habit on the ruins of an old and vicious character.

4. The decayed or enfeebled remains of a natural object; as, the venerable old man presents a great mind in ruins.

5. The cause of destruction.

They were the ruin of him and of all Israel. 2Chron. 28.

RU'IN, v,t,

1. To demolish; to pull down, burn, or otherwise destroy; as, to ruin a city or an edifice.

2. To subvert; to destroy; as, to ruin a state or government.

3. To destroy; to bring to an end; as, to ruin commerce or manufactures.

4. To destroy in any manner; as, to ruin health or happiness; to ruin reputation.

5. To counteract; to defeat; as, to ruin a plan or project.

6. To deprive of felicity or fortune.

By thee rais'd I ruin all my foes.

Grace with a nod, and ruin with a frown.

7. To impoverish; as, to be ruined by speculation.

The eyes of other people are the eyes that ruin us.

8. To bring to everlasting misery; as, to ruin the soul.

RU'IN, v.i.

1. To fall into ruins.

2. To run to ruin; to fall into decay or be dilapidated.

Though he his house of polish'd marble build, yet shall it ruin like the moth's frail cell.

3. To be reduced; to be brought to poverty or misery.

If we are idle, and disturb the industrious in their business, we shall ruin the faster.

Note. This intransitive use of the verb is now unusual.

ruined

RU'INED, pp. Demolished; destroyed; subverted; reduced to poverty; undone.

ruining

RU'INING, ppr. Demolishing; subverting; destroying; reducing to poverty; bringing to endless misery.

Definitions from Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828.
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