n (1)毁坏(灭)(severe damage or destruction)[U]：the～of a city/the monument 一城市/纪念碑的毁坏;reduce a city to a state of～使一座城市毁灭;the～of civilization/sb's hope 文明的毁灭/某人希望的破灭;national/social～国家的崩溃/社会的没落;〖同〗decay，destruction;

(2)覆灭(崩溃，破产)(total loss of one's fortune，position，prospects or honour)[U]：the～of property/the business/the bandits 财产的损失/企业的破产/土匪的覆灭;He was brought to～by drugs. 他因吸毒而破产了。R～stares him in the face. 他面临着破产的危险。The company is facing～. 那家公司正面临破产。on the brink of～在崩溃的边缘;plan sb's～策划搞垮某人;Drink/This very intelligence led (caused/brought about) his～. 酗洒/正因为聪明导致(造成/造成)他毁灭。

(3)祸因(cause of this)[U]：Gambling/Drinking was his～. 赌博/酗酒是他毁灭的原因。Fame will be the～of her. 声誉将会毁了她。Military rule was the～of the Roman empire. 军事统治是罗马帝国灭亡的原因。The flood was the～of the harvest. 洪水是欠收的原因。〖同〗downfall，failure;〖反〗success，build-up;

(4)坍塌(破坏)的状态(state of being damaged，destroyed or collapsed)[U]：The temple/castle has fallen into～. 那座寺庙/城堡已坍塌了。The boat/village went to (crumbled into)～. 这条船朽坏了/那座村庄已成废墟了。

(5)废墟，遗址;残存(the parts of sth that remain after it has been severely damaged or spoiled)[C，常pl]：The temple is now a～. 那座寺庙如今已是一片废墟。an old～on the top of the hill 山顶上一古老废墟;the～s of ancient Troy/an ancient city古特洛伊城/一座古城遗址;This ancient Maya temple was splendid once，but it is a mere～now. 这座古玛雅寺庙曾辉煌一时，但现在只是一堆废墟。〖同〗remains，shell;

in ruins 成了一片废墟，受到严重破坏：The houses across the street were in～s. 街对面的那片房子已是一片废墟。His life/career/plan is in～s. 他的生活/事业/计划毁掉了。

vt (1)毁坏(灭)(severely damage sth)[T+n]：The fire～ed the house. 这场火烧毁了那所房子。Loss of trade～ed the business. 买卖上的损失毁了这家企业。～sb's career/one's prospects/one's health 毁掉某人的事业/前途/健康;His life was～ed by drink. 酗酒毁了他的生活。〖同〗destroy;〖反〗 help，improve;

(2)破坏(spoil)[T+n](infml)：The rain～ed my new dress. 这场雨毁了我的新衣服。Bad weather～ed our holiday. 坏天气破坏了我们的假期。The entire day was～ed. 整个一天都给毁了。You'll～your boy! 你将宠坏你的男孩儿;

(3)使破产(make sb spend or lose all his money)[T+n]：The stock market crash～ed many people . 股票市场的崩溃使许多人破产。a～ed man 一个破产的人;〖同〗bankrupt，break;〖同〗enrich，profit;

→͵rui′nation n 毁灭(坏);祸因;′ruinous adj 毁灭性的;′ruinously adv 毁灭性地