Middle English Dictionary Entry
ruī̆n(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ruī̆n(e n. Also ruinne, rueine, ruen(e, ruien, (late) reuen & (early) rune & (error) rayne. |
| Etymology | OF rüine, ruin & L ruīna. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The toppling of a tower, cliff, etc.; (b) descent from a state of prosperity, happiness, well-being, etc., downfall; (c) a state of decay, ruin, or disrepair; also, as adj.: damaged, dilapidated [last quot.]; (d) a condition of individual or communal ruin, degradation; (e) ruins, remains, wreckage; (f) destruction of a city, etc., devastation; also, damage to a bridge; (g) spiritual, moral, or political destruction; also, destruction of life; (h) destructive force.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)130/11 : Eac þa heahȝæ torræs & clifæs þe heaȝæ stondæþ ofer alle oþre eorðæ, heo eac þe mare rune nimæð, ȝyf heo feringæ to eorðe fællæþ.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2463 : Myn is the ruyne [vr. ruen, rayne] of the hye halles, The fallyng of the toures and of the walles Vpon the mynour or the carpenter.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2754 : Therfore clepeth Cassidore pouerte the moder of ruyne [vr. ruyen], that is to seyn, the moder of ouerthrowynge or fallynge doun.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.2943 : Þe conclusioun Schal fully turne to oure destruccioun And fynally in-to oure ruyne.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.387 : Fortune oure joie..han overthrowe; For in this world ther is no creature..that ever saw ruyne Straunger than this.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)104/204 : I haue so grett hast to be man thore In þat mekest and purest virgyne; Sey here she xal restore Of ȝow Aungellys þe grett Ruyne.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.Prayer RBury (LdMisc 683)39 : Pray for alle tho and kepe hem fro ruyne That do reuerence to both your passioun.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.837 : At Rome ferst..we beginne; The wall and al þe Cit withinne Stant in ruine and in decas.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.5961 : At ten ȝere day þei wynne schal þe toun And bringe it pleynly to distruccioun; Wal and touris schal falle to ruyne.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6084 : Þe sege, sothly, gan to fyne And þe cite was brouȝt to ruyne Þoruȝ Grekis myȝt, & þe walles stronge Were bete doun.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)4637 : Ȝe may se..Thebes..brouht vnto Ruyne And with the soyle made pleyn.
- (1441) Visit.Alnwick9b : We enioyne yow, pryoresse..that..ye do repare the howses and beeldynges wythe yn your place, specyally thoe that are falle to ruyne.
- (1449) RParl.5.147b : Well nygh all places ben in such ruyne..that they be unable to be diffended and kept.
- (1467) Ordin.Wor.397 : The Brugge may be ouerseyn at alle tymes..so that it may be remedyed and holpen when that it ys ruyn or in dispeyre or bifore.
d
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1706 : Whan Lucifer was best in hevene..Towardes god he tok debat, And for that he was obstinat..He fell for evere into ruine.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.8 : Who sit hiȝest, sche [Fortune] can doun hym enclyne, Whan he leest weneþ bring hym to ruyne.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1974 : Over alle the houses angles Ys ful of rounynges..Of plente and of gret famyne, Of chepe, of derthe, and of ruyne.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)189/13 : The philosophre blamed gretly the vice of lecherie and shewed houghe by that vice dyuers citees wer fallen to ruynne [F ruine].
- c1500(?a1437) ?Jas.I KQ (SeldArch B.24)st.28 : Gif god me had devisit To lyve my lyf in thraldome thus and pyne, Quhat was the caus that he [me] more comprisit Than othir folk to lyve in suich ruyne?
- c1500 Tronos celorum (Trin-C R.3.19)20 : That your reame shall nat fall perchaunce Vnto Rewen for defaute of good counsell, Take hede herto, hit mayest avayle.
e
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.545 : Whan þe soille, defoulit with ruyne Of walles old, was made pleyn as lyne, Þe werkmen gan þis cite for to founde.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)28 : Fast by Scicopolin..his paleis stood; In Seynt Jerom tyme men mith se be ruyne of the wall who grete a lord he was.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)52/12 : It apperith by the ruyne of the shipp with what wynde it is smyten.
f
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)prol.227 : Recorde of Thebes..Of whiche the rueyne of [vr. & þe] distruccioun Ȝe may beholde..On Stace lokeþ and þer ȝe may it rede.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.396 : Þe cite..was turned vp so doun, Þe worþi lordys..I-left nat on Of hem alyve..After þe ruyne, allas, of her cyte.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1074 : Fals Couetise..made hem at distaunce, Fully worchyng into destrucciun And Ruyne of this noble toun.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)3602 : A, Priamus, if that thow wistes..Off noble Troye the gret ruyne.
- (1467) Ordin.Wor.397 : Reparacyon of the seid Brugge..to be made..in eschewynge of grete myscheves, or ruyn might falle the same.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)76/7 : It semeth as they wer doggis..withoute any pitee of mordrers and horrible occisions of Cristen people, dishonoryng the women and put all to ruyne.
g
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.5368 : For kouþe it is þat ofte swiche ravyne Hath cause ben and rote of þe ruyne Of many worþi..Like as ȝe may now of Hector rede Þat sodeinly was brouȝt to his endynge Only for spoillynge of þis riche kyng.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.Virg.& Chr.(Hnt HM 111)73 : Lady, wardeyn of peple fro ruyne, Þat sauedest Theoffe [read: Theofle] and many mo, Of thy grace, myn herte enlumyne.
- c1450(?a1422) Lydg.LOL (Dur-U Cosin V.2.16)6.164 : By-holde and se..How he is put in ruyne and offence Of many one here in his region, And to some in resurexion That shall releve [Vulg. Luke 2:34: positus est Hic in ruinam, et in resurrectionem multorum].
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)205/4 : Thou hast excused and susteyned the treasons and vntestable conspiracions, whereof thou art in this ruine partie.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)35/20 : Theft [leads to] shame and reproff that ledeth hym to prison and captiuite, and to execucion of the lawe-is rigour, and to destruccion of famuliarite, and to rvyne [L ruinam] of all.
h
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.7042 : Now fare wel Troye..Of inward wo myn herte I fele blede..whan þat I remembre..By ruyne how þou art brouȝt to nouȝt.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)91/33 : Whan the Pope Adryan Hadd Herde opynly the evyl lyfe..that the Pepell of Irland laddyn..he graunted the kynge that he sholde into Irland wende..forto wythstonde and lete the ruene of synne.