expression, godan verb (-su)
ruin oneself; go to ruin; fall into ruin
Refers to ruining one's life, often through vice, dissipation, or bad decisions; implies a self-destructive path.
酒とギャンブルで身を持ち崩した。
He ruined himself through drinking and gambling.
あの人は若い頃に身を持
That person ruined himself when he was young, and now nobody knows where he is.