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Ruin vs Rot - What's the difference?

ruin | rot | Related terms |

In transitive terms the difference between ruin and rot

is that ruin is to cause the ruin of while rot is to expose, as flax, to a process of maceration, etc., for the purpose of separating the fiber; to ret.

ruin

English

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.
  • :
  • (lb) Something that leads to serious trouble or destruction.
  • :
  • *(Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)
  • *:The errors of young men are the ruin of business.
  • *
  • *: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.
  • :
  • *(Thomas Gray) (1716-1771)
  • *:Ruin seize thee, ruthless king!

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • to cause the ruin of.
  • * 1883 ,
    • In one way, indeed, he bade fair to ruin us; for he kept on staying week after week, and at last month after month, so that all the money had been long exhausted...
  • To destroy or make something no longer usable.
    • He ruined his new white slacks by accidentally spilling oil on them.
  • * Longfellow
    • By the fireside there are old men seated, / Seeling ruined cities in the ashes.
  • To upset or mess up the plans or progress of, or to put into disarray; to spoil.
    • My car breaking down just as I was on the road ruined my vacation.

    Synonyms

    * destroy * fordo * ruinate * wreck

    Antonyms

    * build * construct * found * produce

    Related terms

    * ruination * ruinable * ruiner * ruinous

    External links

    * * * ----

    rot

    English

    Verb

    (rott)
  • To suffer decomposition due to biological action, especially by fungi or bacteria.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • Fixed like a plant on his peculiar spot, / To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot .
  • To decline in function or utility.
  • To deteriorate in any way.
    • I hope they all rot in prison for what they've done.
  • * Macaulay
    • Four of the sufferers were left to rot in irons.
  • * Thackeray
    • Rot , poor bachelor, in your club.
  • To make putrid; to cause to be wholly or partially decomposed by natural processes.
    • to rot vegetable fiber
  • To expose, as flax, to a process of maceration, etc., for the purpose of separating the fiber; to ret.

    • Derived terms

    * potter's rot

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The process of becoming rotten; putrefaction.
  • Any of several diseases in which breakdown of tissue occurs.
  • * Milton
    • His cattle must of rot and murrain die.
  • Verbal nonsense.

    • Synonyms

    * (nonsense) See also

    Anagrams

    * (l), (l), (l), (l), (l), (l), (l) English intransitive verbs ----