Rack And Ruin
Meaning
When something is completely destroyed, we use this phrase.
Origin
In 1548, Ephraim Udall used it in a sermon:
“The flocke goeth to wrecke and vtterly perisheth.”
Henry Bull changed it to ‘wrack and ruin’ in his translation of Luther’s Commentarie upon the fiftene psalmes, 1577:
“Whiles all things seeme to fall to wracke and ruine.”
Thomas Fowler a famous oxford historian published ‘The history of Corpus Christi College’ and used it in present form:
“In the mean season the College shall goe to rack and ruin.”