bane

[ beyn ]

noun

1. a person or thing that ruins or spoils:

   Gambling was the bane of his existence.

2. a deadly poison (often used in combination, as in the names of poisonous plants):

   wolfsbane;

   henbane.

3. death; destruction; ruin.
4. Obsolete. that which causes death or destroys life:

   entrapped and drowned beneath the watery bane.

bane

¹

/ beɪn /

noun

1. a person or thing that causes misery or distress (esp in the phrase bane of one's life )
2. something that causes death or destruction
3. 1. a fatal poison
   2. ( in combination )

      ratsbane

4. archaic.
   ruin or distress

bane

²

/ beɪn; ben /

noun

1. a Scot word for bone

Word History and Origins

Origin of bane¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English bana “slayer”; cognate with Old Norse bani “death, murderer,” Old Frisian bona “murder,” Old Saxon bano “murderer,” Old High German bano “slayer,” bana “death”; akin to Armenian ǰnǰel “to destroy,” Greek theínein “to strike,” Latin -fendere “to strike,” Persian zahr “poison,” Polish gonić “to pursue,” Sanskrit hánti “to strike”

Word History and Origins

Origin of bane¹

Old English bana ; related to Old Norse bani death, Old High German bano destruction, death

Example Sentences

Despite the Grizzlies being without their starting backcourt, Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, Memphis cooked the Lakers’ defense in the kind of way that made strong performances in their last two games look like anomalies.

From Los Angeles Times

A refuge for some and bane for others.

From Los Angeles Times

Should another Bridgerton-themed ball be arranged in the near future, fans in Detroit might be coining a phrase from Anthony Bridgerton himself: "You are the bane of my existence and the object of all my desires."

From BBC

He was also found in violation of the Ralph and Bane acts — two California civil rights laws that offer protection from hate, violence and intimidation.

From Los Angeles Times

A refuge for some and bane for others.

From Los Angeles Times