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decimate Definition

deci·mate (des′ə māt′)

transitive verb -·mat′ed, -·mat′·ing

  1. Obsolete to select by lot and kill every tenth one of
  2. to destroy or kill a large part of famine decimated the population
  3. Obsolete to take a tenth part of; tithe

Etymology: < L decimatus, pp. of decimare < decem, ten

decimate Related Forms

dec′i·ma′·tion noun dec′i·ma′·tor noun

decimate Usage Examples

Object

  • squad: A decimated squad has meet up ahead of the friendly against the Czech Republic.
  • population: In 1724 smallpox decimated the population which, at the end of the century, was 180.
  • army: Intense air attacks fixed and decimated the Iraqi army.
  • crop: A single disease or pest could easily decimate the crop of an entire country.
  • stock: This massive increase in commercial fishing has decimated many wild fish stocks.
  • economy: Such a shift would help revitalize rural economies decimated by the global economy.

Subject

  • injury: Manager Brian Flynn's side is decimated by injuries.
  • disease: Features Return of the Clostridial Diseases by Chris Lewis MRCVS The early part of the last century saw flocks decimated by clostridial disease.
  • war: But Aceh is a region already decimated by a war which has raged on and off for 28 years.

Adjective complement

most: Commercial whaling during the last century decimated most of the world's whale populations.

Modifying Another Word

  • already: The German contingent, already decimated by the Turks, merged with the French, who had fared only slightly better, at Acre.
  • so: Above all else tho, this was a real triumph in adversity, with the squad so decimated by injury.
  • also: IX Hispana was also decimated and nearly cost the life of the legate Petillius Cerialis.
  • not: The species assemblages of the Lickey heaths where not decimated by tree planting are a unique resource.
  • almost: Together with cuts that almost decimates the entire plot, the show will probably leave fans with less than great memories.
  • only: The death of Home Rule not only decimated his British audience, it also freed Irish protestantism from the restraints of political cohesion.

Present participle complement

spawn: Bishop td remnants of a a detailed account have decimated spawning.

Preposition: by

  • injury: Manager Brian Flynn's side is decimated by injuries.
  • disease: Features Return of the Clostridial Diseases by Chris Lewis MRCVS The early part of the last century saw flocks decimated by clostridial disease.
  • war: But Aceh is a region already decimated by a war which has raged on and off for 28 years.