Webster's English Dictionary

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ruin

1. ru.in \'ru:-*n, 'ru.-, -.in\ n [ME ruine, fr. MF, fr. L ruina; akin to L 
   ruere to fall - m]ore at RUG archaic  1a: a falling down : COLLAPSE  1b: 
   physical, moral, economic, or social collapse  archaic  2a: the state of 
   being ruined  2b: the remains of something destroyed - usu. used in pl.  3: 
   a cause of destruction  4a: the action of destroying, laying waste, or 
   wrecking  4b: DAMAGE, INJURY  5: a ruined building, person, or object 
2. ruin \'ru:-*-n*r, 'ru.-\ vt 1: to reduce to ruins : DEVASTATE  2a: to 
   damage irreparably  2b: BANKRUPT, IMPOVERISH  3: to subject to frustration 
   or failure  : to become ruined  - ru.in.er n