Noun

(es)

A small flaw which spoils the appearance of something, a stain, a spot.

* 1769 , Oxford Standard Text, , 22, xix,

Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish , of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.

* 1997 , Jean Soler, 5: The Semiotics of Food in the Bible'', Carole Counihan, Penny Van Esterik (editors), ''Food and Culture: A Reader , page 61,

Any foot shape deviating from this model is conceived as a blemish , and the animal is unclean.

* 2003 , A. K. Forrest, Chapter 6: Surface Defect Detection on Ceramics'', Mark Graves, Bruce Batchelor (editors), ''Machine Vision for the Inspection of Natural Products , page 193,

There are a very large number of types of blemish' and the smallest ' blemish visible to a human can be surprisingly small, for example less than 10?m deep, which may be on the surface of a heavily embossed tile.

* 2011 , Robert Jones, Makeup Makeovers Beauty Bible: Expert Secrets for Stunning Transformations , page 119,

It comes as a surprise to some people, but blemishes' can strike at any age. To minimize the appearance of facial '''blemishes''' or pimples, use a concealer with a dry texture; it will cling to the ' blemish better, last throughout the day, and not irritate the skin or initiate more breakouts.

A moral defect; a character flaw.

* 1825 , A Sermon'', ''The Christian Magazine , Volume 2, page 298,

As piety is the peculiar ornament of old people, so the want of it is a peculiar blemish in their character.

* 2003 , Todd F. Heatherton, The Social Psychology of Stigma , page 103,

The processes of categorization, stereotyping, discrimination, and self-fulfilling prophecy can also apply to stigmas based on blemishes of individual character.

* 2008 , Annette Baier, Death and Character: Further Reflections on Hume , page 46,

There is no reason to think that the enlivening possible blemish' was his hypocritical show of repentance, since there are so many other candidate ' blemishes to choose among.

Noun

(en noun)

The remains of a destroyed or dilapidated construction, such as a house or castle.

*(Joseph Addison) (1672–1719)

*:The Veian and the Gabian towers shall fall, / And one promiscuous ruin' cover all; / Nor, after length of years, a stone betray / The place where once the very ' ruins lay.

*(Joseph Stevens Buckminster) (1751-1812)

*:The labour of a day will not build up a virtuous habit on the ruins of an old and vicious character.

*{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)

, chapter=Foreword citation , passage=A canister of flour from the kitchen had been thrown at the looking-glass and lay like trampled snow over the remains of a decent blue suit with the lining ripped out which lay on top of the ruin of a plastic wardrobe.}}

(lb) The state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed.

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(lb) Something that leads to serious trouble or destruction.

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*(Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)

*:The errors of young men are the ruin of business.

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*:The Bat—they called him the Bat.. Most lone wolves had a moll at any rate—women were their ruin —but if the Bat had a moll, not even the grapevine telegraph could locate her.

(lb) A fall or tumble.

*(George Chapman) (1559-1634)

*:His ruin startled the other steeds.

A change that destroys or defeats something; destruction; overthrow.

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*(Thomas Gray) (1716-1771)

*:Ruin seize thee, ruthless king!