Bane

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪn

From Middle English bane, from Old English bana, from Proto-Germanic *banô; akin to Old High German bano ("death"), Icelandic bani ("bane, death").

Full definition of bane

Noun

1. A cause of misery or death; an affliction or cursethe bane of my existence
• HerbertMoney, thou bane of bliss, and source of woe.
2. (dated) Poison, especially any of several poisonous plants
3. (obsolete) A killer, murderer, slayer
4. (obsolete) destruction; death
• MiltonThe cup of deception spiced and tempered to their bane.
5. A disease of sheep; the rot.

Antonyms

• (affliction or curse) boon

Derived terms

• baneberry
• baneful
• boon and bane
• wolfsbane

Verb

1. (transitive) To kill, especially by poison; to be the poison of.
2. (transitive) To be the bane of.

From Middle English northern dialect ban, from Old English bān

Noun

1. (chiefly Scotland) A bone

Anagrams

• bean
• Bena