Decimate

['desɪmeɪt] or ['dɛsə,met]

Definition

(verb.) kill one in every ten, as of mutineers in Roman armies.

Typist: Oliver--From WordNet

Definition

(v. t.) To take the tenth part of; to tithe.

(v. t.) To select by lot and punish with death every tenth man of; as, to decimate a regiment as a punishment for mutiny.

(v. t.) To destroy a considerable part of; as, to decimate an army in battle; to decimate a people by disease.

Checked by Hank

Definition

v.t. to take the tenth part of: to put to death every tenth man.—ns. Decimā′tion a military punishment by which every tenth man was selected by lot and put to death or otherwise punished; Dec′imator.

Inputed by Hubert