DECIMATE


Meaning of DECIMATE in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈde-sə-ˌmāt ]

transitive verb

( -mat·ed ; -mat·ing )

Etymology: Latin decimatus, past participle of decimare, from decimus tenth, from decem ten

Date: 1660

1. : to select by lot and kill every tenth man of

2. : to exact a tax of 10 percent from

poor as a decimated Cavalier — John Dryden

3.

a. : to reduce drastically especially in number

cholera decimated the population

b. : to cause great destruction or harm to

firebombs decimated the city

an industry decimated by recession

• dec·i·ma·tion ˌde-sə-ˈmā-shən noun

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.