Definitions for ruins
ru·ins

Freebase(3.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Ruins

   Ruins are the remains of human-made architecture: structures that were once complete, as time went by, have fallen into a state of partial or complete disrepair, due to lack of maintenance or deliberate acts of destruction. Natural disaster, war and depopulation are the most common root causes, with many structures becoming progressively derelict over time due to long-term weathering and scavenging. There are famous ruins all over the world, from ancient sites in China, the Indus valley and Judea to Zimbabwe in Africa, ancient Greek, Egyptian and Roman sites in the Mediterranean basin, and Incan and Mayan sites in the Americas. Ruins are of great importance to historians, archaeologists and anthropologists, whether they were once individual fortifications, places of worship, houses and utility buildings, or entire villages, towns and cities. Many ruins have become UNESCO World Heritage Sites in recent years, to identify and preserve them as areas of outstanding value to humanity.

The Roycroft Dictionary(2.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. ruins

   1. The hope of the ancient yesterday. 2. Absolute proof that the world of dreams, like the planet earth, is round. (Ruins are chiefly notable for the number of enlightened liars, called archeologists, they produce.)

How to pronounce ruins?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say ruins in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of ruins in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of ruins in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of ruins in a Sentence

1. Horace Walpole:

   The next Augustan age will dawn on the other side of the Atlantic. There will, perhaps, be a Thucydides at Boston, a Xenophon at New York, and, in time, a Virgil at Mexico, and a Newton at Peru. At last, some curious traveler from Lima will visit England and give a description of the ruins of St Paul s, like the editions of Balbec and Palmyra.

2. Lee Hsien Loong:

   We have to lock up people, without trial, whether they are communists, whether they are language chauvinists, whether they are religious extremists. If you don't do that, the country would be in ruins.

3. Charles de LEUSSE:

   We don't build the ruins. Our soul is in hate. (On ne construit des ruines. - Notre âme est dans la haine.)

4. Max Stern:

   There was no fair procedure here, he was told he was charged with an offense that occurred almost two years before. Within six weeks, there was a hearing, he was expelled and he was labeled a sex offender. His future was in ruins.

5. Tom Everett:

   I guess this ruins our chance for dinner saturday night, huh?

Images & Illustrations of ruins

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