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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The labor of a day will not build up a virtuous habit on the ruins of an old and vicious character. Buckminster. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The state of being dcayed, or of having become ruined or worthless; as, to be in ruins; to go to ruin. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. That which promotes injury, decay, or destruction. [ 1913 Webster ]

The errors of young men are the ruin of business. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Destruction; downfall; perdition; fall; overthrow; subversion; defeat; bane; pest; mischief. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

this mortal house I'll ruin. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

By thee raised, I ruin all my foes. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The eyes of other people are the eyes that ruin us. Franklin. [ 1913 Webster ]

By the fireside there are old men seated,
Seeling ruined cities in the ashes. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To fall to ruins; to go to ruin; to become decayed or dilapidated; to perish. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Though he his house of polished marble build,
Yet shall it ruin like the moth's frail cell. Sandys. [ 1913 Webster ]

If we are idle, and disturb the industrious in their business, we shall ruin the faster. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being ruined. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ LL. ruinatus, p. p. of ruinare to ruin. See Ruin. ] 1. To demolish; to subvert; to destroy; to reduce to poverty; to ruin. [ 1913 Webster ]

I will not ruinate my f&unr_;ther's house. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ruinating thereby the health of their bodies. Burton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cause to fall; to cast down. [ 1913 Webster ]

On the other side they saw that perilous rock
Threatening itself on them to ruinate. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To fall; to tumble. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. ruinatus, p. p. ] Involved in ruin; ruined. [ 1913 Webster ]

My brother Edward lives in pomp and state,
I in a mansion here all ruinate. J. Webster. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. ruinatio. ] The act of ruining, or the state of being ruined. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, ruins. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Ruin + -form: cf. F. ruiniforme. ] Having the appearance of ruins, or of the ruins of houses; -- said of certain minerals. [ 1913 Webster ]