---
title: ruin — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «ruin» in the school dictionary: To ruin something means to damage or spoil it so badly that it is no good any more: rain ruined the picnic. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# ruin

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** it, rain, ruin, old building, you, We · **What happens:** ruin, mean, damage, spoil, be, leave · **To what, where:** something, it, picnic, town, money, ending · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«ruin» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 9 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [ruin in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ruin.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To ruin something means to damage or spoil it so badly that it is no good any more: rain ruined the picnic.

<!-- fold The tree, 22 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruin:m1:1
# text = To ruin something means to damage or spoil it so badly that it is no good any more: rain ruined the picnic.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	ruin	ruin	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	csubj	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	damage	damage	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	xcomp	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	spoil	spoil	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
9	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	so	so	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	badly	badly	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	8	advmod	_	_
12	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	16	mark	_	_
13	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
14	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	16	cop	_	_
15	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	16	det	_	_
16	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	advcl	_	_
17	any	any	ADV	RB	_	18	advmod	_	_
18	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	8	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	21	punct	_	_
20	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	nsubj	_	_
21	ruined	ruin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	conj	_	_
22	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	23	det	_	_
23	picnic	picnic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
24	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ruin** | to-infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **damage** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **spoil** | infinitive |  | it |  |  |  | badly *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **is** | present | it |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |
| 6 | **ruin** | past | rain | the picnic |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent picnic=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A ruin is what is left of an old building that has fallen down, or the ruins of a town.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruin:m2:1
# text = A ruin is what is left of an old building that has fallen down, or the ruins of a town.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ruin	ruin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	0	root	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl:relcl	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
8	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	building	building	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
11	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	13	nsubj	_	_
12	has	have	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux	_	_
13	fallen	fall	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	10	acl:relcl	_	_
14	down	down	ADP	RP	_	13	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
16	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	18	cc	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	ruins	ruin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	appos	_	_
19	of	of	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
20	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	21	det	_	_
21	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	18	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a ruin |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **leave** | present · passive |  |  |  |  |  | of a old building | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: of building=Initial\_Location |
| 3 | **fall down** | present · perfect | a old building |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **ruin** |  |  | a town |  |  |  |  | nom ruin «state transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ruin can mean losing all your money: the business faced ruin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruin:m3:1
# text = Ruin can mean losing all your money: the business faced ruin.
1	Ruin	ruin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	losing	lose	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	3	xcomp	_	_
5	all	all	DET	PDT	PronType=Tot	7	det:predet	_	_
6	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
10	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	compound	_	_
11	faced	faced	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	ruin	ruin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Ruin |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 2 | **lose** *not said to happen* | gerund | Ruin *not said here* | your money |  |  |  | the business faced ruin *obl* | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent money=Eventuality |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The rain ruined our picnic.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruin:x1:1
# text = The rain ruined our picnic.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ruined	ruin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	picnic	picnic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ruin** | past | the rain | our picnic |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent picnic=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't tell me the ending — you'll ruin the book!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruin:x2:1
# text = Don't tell me the ending — you'll ruin the book!
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	iobj	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	ending	ending	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	10	punct	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	10	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	'll	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	10	aux	_	_
10	ruin	ruin	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **tell** *speech: assert* | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | the ending | me |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent i=Recipient ending=Topic |
| 2 | **ruin** | future | you | the book |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent book=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We explored the ruins of an old castle.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruin:x3:1
# text = We explored the ruins of an old castle.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	explored	explore	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	ruins	ruin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	castle	castle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **explore** | past | We | the ruins of a old castle |  |  |  |  | vn investigate-35.4 «NP V NP.location»: agent=Agent ruin=Location |
| 2 | **ruin** |  |  | a old castle |  |  |  |  | nom ruin «state transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The city was left in ruins after the earthquake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruin:x4:1
# text = The city was left in ruins after the earthquake.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	city	city	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	ruins	ruin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obl	_	_
7	after	after	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	earthquake	earthquake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave** | past · passive |  | the city |  | ruins | after the earthquake |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: subject=Theme in ruin=Location |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Spilling juice ruined my drawing.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruin:x5:1
# text = Spilling juice ruined my drawing.
1	Spilling	spill	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	amod	_	_
2	juice	juice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	ruined	ruin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	5	nmod:poss	_	_
5	drawing	drawing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spill** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn appear-48.1.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **ruin** | past | Spilling juice | my drawing |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP.instrument V NP»: agent=Instrument drawing=Patient |
| 3 | **draw** |  | my |  |  |  |  |  | nom drawing «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Romans built the fort, and now only ruins remain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruin:x6:1
# text = Romans built the fort, and now only ruins remain.
1	Romans	Roman	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	built	build	VERB	VBD	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	fort	fort	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
7	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	10	advmod	_	_
8	only	only	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	ruins	ruin	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	nsubj	_	_
10	remain	remain	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **build** | past | Romans | the fort |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fort=Product |
| 2 | **remain** | present | ruins |  |  |  | now |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Too much salt can ruin the soup.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruin:x7:1
# text = Too much salt can ruin the soup.
1	Too	too	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	much	much	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	salt	salt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
4	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	5	aux	_	_
5	ruin	ruin	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	soup	soup	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ruin** | can | much salt | the soup |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent soup=Patient |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My little brother ruined the surprise by telling Mum.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruin:x8:1
# text = My little brother ruined the surprise by telling Mum.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
2	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	brother	brother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	ruined	ruin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	surprise	surprise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
9	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	iobj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **ruin** | past | My little brother | the surprise |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent surprise=Patient |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund | My little brother *not said here* |  | Mum |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent mum=Recipient |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"It's enough to ruin one's nerves.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:ruin:x9:1
# text = "It's enough to ruin one's nerves.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	enough	enough	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	ruin	ruin	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
7	one	one	PRON	PRP	Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	's	's	PART	POS	_	7	case	_	_
9	nerves	nerve	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | present | It |  |  |  |  | enough *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **ruin** *in a quote* | to-infinitive |  | one |  |  |  |  | vn destroy-44 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent one=Patient |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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