8 uses
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Definition
catastrophic or extremely harmful; or badly damaged or decayed (like ancient ruins)
- In its centre was a grass-plat, surrounding a ruinous little structure, which showed just enough of its original design to indicate that it had once been a summer-house.Chapter 6 — Maule's Well (2% in)
- On either side extended a ruinous wooden fence of open lattice-work, through which could be seen a grassy yard, and, especially in the angles of the building, an enormous fertility of burdocks, with leaves, it is hardly an exaggeration to say, two or three feet long.Chapter 1 — The Old Pyncheon Family (92% in)
- Or the member of Parliament, now at the head of the English branch of the family,—with which the elder stock, on this side of the Atlantic, had held little or no intercourse for the last two centuries,—this eminent gentleman might invite Hepzibah to quit the ruinous House of the Seven Gables, and come over to dwell with her kindred at Pyncheon Hall.Chapter 4 — A Day Behind the Counter (64% in)
- It betokened that his spiritual part had returned, and was doing its best to kindle the heart's household fire, and light up intellectual lamps in the dark and ruinous mansion, where it was doomed to be a forlorn inhabitant.Chapter 7 — The Guest (46% in)
- But the girl seldom failed to propose a removal to the garden, where Uncle Venner and the daguerreotypist had made such repairs on the roof of the ruinous arbor, or summer-house, that it was now a sufficient shelter from sunshine and casual showers.Chapter 10 — The Pyncheon Garden (2% in)
- So this oddly composed little social party used to assemble under the ruinous arbor.Chapter 10 — The Pyncheon Garden (78% in)
- A plain, but handsome, dark-green barouche had now drawn up in front of the ruinous portal of the old mansion-house.Chapter 21 — The Departure (89% in)
- And wise Uncle Venner, passing slowly from the ruinous porch, seemed to hear a strain of music, and fancied that sweet Alice Pyncheon—after witnessing these deeds, this bygone woe and this present happiness, of her kindred mortals—had given one farewell touch of a spirit's joy upon her harpsichord, as she floated heavenward from the HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES!Chapter 21 — The Departure (98% in)
There are no more uses of "ruinous" in The House of the Seven Gables.
Typical Usage
(best examples)