I. ˈbān noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English bana; akin to Old English benn wound, Old High German bano death, destruction, Old Norse ben wound, bani slayer, Gothic banja wound, Avestan banta ill
1.
a. obsolete : one that causes death : murderer , slayer
b. : poison
was there bane in that tea you did tell Tivvy to give Mother — Mary Webb
— see henbane , ratsbane
c.
(1) : death , destruction
drink will be the bane of him
money, thou bane of bliss, and source of woe — George Herbert
the cup of deception spiced and tempered to their bane — John Milton
(2) : harm , woe
from deepest bane will he bring her back to highest blessing — George Meredith
2.
a. : any pernicious or fatal element, feature, or flaw : curse
the aristocratic tradition embedded in British higher education is its bane — Bertrand Russell
used cars have been called the bane of the automobile industry — C.W.Phelps
this rage for novelty is the bane of literature — T.L.Peacock
b. : a person who makes another completely miserable
the bane of my existence
: one that perversely or persistently spoils or thwarts
the pitcher was the bane of right-handed batters
Synonyms: see poison
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
obsolete : to kill especially with poison
intransitive verb
archaic : to do injury : harm
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English (northern dialect) ban, from Old English bān — more at bone
chiefly Scotland : bone