ruin

ru|in1 [ `ruın ] verb transitive **

to destroy or severely damage something:

You'll completely ruin the flowers if you touch them.

Any kind of dishonest dealing will ruin his career.

She had ruined her mother's chances of getting a job.

a. to spoil something:

They didn't want to be accused of ruining everyone's fun.

b. to make someone lose all their money or power:

It was a scandal that totally ruined the company.

ruin

ru|in 2 [ `ruın ] noun *

1. ) count or uncount the state of something that has been destroyed or severely damaged:

in ruins: Last month saw his dreams shattered and his business in ruins.

fall into ruin (=gradually break into pieces): After the war many monasteries fell into ruin.

2. ) count often plural the parts of a building that remain after it has been severely damaged:

Roman ruins

People had built shelters among the ruins of the city.

The attack had reduced the town to a smoking ruin.

a ) the parts of anything that are left after the rest of it has been destroyed:

She sat contemplating the ruins of her shattered life.

3. ) uncount the loss of all your money or power:

Despite good sales, many of these stores are facing ruin.

financial/economic ruin: Reducing quotas could bring economic ruin to a small fishing village like this.