blue ruin
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Low-end gin, usually home-made.
Register: archaic, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Till you're full of rag water and bitters and blue ruin
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Gin. Blue ribband; gin.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “blue ruin” mean?
Low-end gin, usually home-made.
Is “blue ruin” formal or informal?
blue ruin is generally archaic, slang.