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

A refuge for some and bane for others.

From Los Angeles Times

Industry professionals and municipal authorities acknowledge that tourism is a trade-off: often an economic boon, sometimes a social bane.

From Los Angeles Times

Ucas is scrapping personal statements, long the bane of teenagers' final year at school, for university admissions.

From BBC

“It’s largely been the bane of my existence,” Perry joked.

From Los Angeles Times

Losing to the Boston Celtics six times in the NBA Finals was the bane of West’s professional playing career.

From Los Angeles Times