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Definition of ruin verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

ruin

verb
 
/ˈruːɪn/
 
/ˈruːɪn/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they ruin
 
/ˈruːɪn/
 
/ˈruːɪn/
he / she / it ruins
 
/ˈruːɪnz/
 
/ˈruːɪnz/
past simple ruined
 
/ˈruːɪnd/
 
/ˈruːɪnd/
past participle ruined
 
/ˈruːɪnd/
 
/ˈruːɪnd/
-ing form ruining
 
/ˈruːɪnɪŋ/
 
/ˈruːɪnɪŋ/
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  1. ruin something to damage something so badly that it loses all its value, pleasure, etc. synonym spoil (1), wreck
    • The bad weather ruined our trip.
    • That one mistake ruined his chances of getting the job.
    • My new shoes got ruined in the mud.
    • The crops were ruined by the late frost.
    Extra Examples
    • A knee injury threatened to ruin her Olympic hopes.
    • She's ruined everything.
    • Years of drinking had ruined his health.
    • You've ruined my whole life!
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • completely
    • totally
    • nearly
    verb + ruin
    • threaten to
    • be going to
    See full entry
  2. ruin somebody/something to make somebody/something lose all their money, their position, etc.
    • If she loses the court case it will ruin her.
    • The country was ruined by the war.
    Extra Examples
    • They accused the government of ruining the economy.
    • The long legal battle ruined him financially.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • completely
    • totally
    • nearly
    verb + ruin
    • threaten to
    • be going to
    See full entry
  3. Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘collapse of a building’): from Old French ruine, from Latin ruina, from ruere ‘to fall’.
See ruin in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee ruin in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
trait
noun
 
 
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