Decimation

(thing) by EverybodysCyclopedia Sun Jul 21 2002 at 22:20:25

Decimation, the selection of the 10th man of a corps of soldiers by lot for punishment, practised by the Romans. Sometimes every 10th man was executed; sometimes only one man of each company, the 10th in order. The term is frequently used in a loose way for the destruction of a great but indefinite proportion of people.

Entry from Everybody's Cyclopedia, 1912.

del.icio.us Furl Facebook Digg StumbleUpon Reddit   (I like it!)
(definition) by Webster 1913 Tue Dec 21 1999 at 22:55:55

Dec`i*ma"tion (?), n. [L. decimatio: cf. F. d'ecimation.]

1.

A tithing.

[Obs.]

State Trials (1630).

2.

A selection of every tenth person by lot, as for punishment.

Shak.

3.

The destruction of any large proportion, as of people by pestilence or war.

Milman.

 

© Webster 1913.

del.icio.us Furl Facebook Digg StumbleUpon Reddit
Y'know, if you log in, you can write something here, or contact authors directly on the site. Create a New User if you don't already have an account.