Difference between revisions of "Decimate"
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| − | '''Decimate''' is a word often used in the [[English language]] to mean 'to utterly destroy. | + | '''Decimate''' is a word often used in the [[English language]] to mean 'to utterly destroy', to figuratively [[Devastation|devastate]] nine-tenths, reducing to one-tenth, and leaving only a tenth remaining intact, standing or alive. |
| − | While this use is often accepted, a much more precise definition would be 'to destroy, remove, or punish 1/10th.' | + | While this use is often accepted, a much more precise definition would be 'to destroy, remove, or punish 1/10th.' See military term [[Decimation]]. |
[[Category:Dictionary]] | [[Category:Dictionary]] | ||
Latest revision as of 21:51, December 2, 2016
Decimate is a word often used in the English language to mean 'to utterly destroy', to figuratively devastate nine-tenths, reducing to one-tenth, and leaving only a tenth remaining intact, standing or alive.
While this use is often accepted, a much more precise definition would be 'to destroy, remove, or punish 1/10th.' See military term Decimation.