rooned

English

Etymology

From "we'll all be rooned" (i.e. ruined), the refrain of a pessimistic character in John O'Brien's 1921 poem Said Hanrahan.

Adjective

rooned (not comparable)

1. (Australia, colloquial) Ruined; utterly spoiled or destroyed.
   • 2007, Aidan Carvill, Everyone's a Breather!: Open Source Code to Humanity, page 3:

     There is a sense that 'we'll all be rooned' no matter what action is taken. That the War on Terror is exacerbating the problem rather than alleviating it.

   • 2014, Timothy Neale, ‎Crystal McKinnon, ‎Eve Vincent, History, Power, Text: Cultural Studies and Indigenous Studies (page 265)

     On the one hand, 'we'll all be rooned', it is such a catastrophe; and on the other, let's get to it, there's still so much to be done.

   • 2014, Bernie Dowling, 7 Shouts: My Shout Book 1

     We will all be rooned because readin', 'ritin' and 'rithmetic are not being taught proper no more.

Usage notes

• Usually in "we'll all be rooned" or similar phrases, drawing attention to a case of doomsaying.