ruin

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /ˈruː.ɪn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

Plain form ruin

Third-person singular ruins

Past tense ruined

Past participle ruined

Present participle ruining

1. To wreck something, to make it useless, to break something.

   You've ruined my painting!

   You've ruined my screwdriver!

   You will ruin your pencil if you press that hard.

Noun

Singular ruin

Plural ruins

The ruins of a tower

1. (usually plural) The standing parts of a broken building or construction.

   Our only look at Mayan culture is the ruins.