ruinousness - definition, synonyms and pronunciation

Open English WordNet

The quality of causing or tending to cause ruin.“The masses had not as yet formed such an idea of the ruinousness of the policy of the administration as to seriously threaten the power of the Republicans.”Type of harmfulness, injuriousness

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“ruinousness” is listed under Ruinous.

Ru′in·ous adjective

Origin: L. ruinosus: cf. F. ruineux. See Ruin.

1. Causing, or tending to cause, ruin; destructive; baneful; pernicious; as, a ruinous project.

After a night of storm so ruinous.— John Milton

2. Characterized by ruin; ruined; dilapidated; as, an edifice, bridge, or wall in a ruinous state.

3. Composed of, or consisting in, ruins.

Behold, Damascus... shall be a ruinous heap.— Isa. xvii. 1.

Synonyms: Dilapidated; decayed; demolished; pernicious; destructive; baneful; wasteful; mischievous.

— Ru′wb-a1′>′in·ous·ly (#), adverb — Ru′wb-a1′>′in·ous·ness, noun

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54