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#32010 06/13/01 04:20 AM
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{i wasn't too lazy to search for the old one; it just was a bit lengthy and i thought folks might appreciate a fresh thread. oh, and this is an intentional crossover yart, as well....)

this just in from MSNBC, concerning the hostage crises in manila:

"Arroyo issued her latest warning to the rebels on national television, saying, “The reported murder of Mr. Sobero strengthens our resolve to decimate once and for all this cold-blooded bandit group.” [E.A.]"

yeah, well, a fat lot of good that'd do.



#32011 06/13/01 12:46 PM
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To kill one in ten and disperse the remaining nine to other groups; often used as punishment for mutiny in Roman legions.

In this case they will simply round up the cold-blooded bandit group in question, line them up, have them count off by tens pick a number at random and kill every one with that number and disperse the remainder to other cold-blooded bandit groups.

I just don't see your problem here.


#32012 06/13/01 01:28 PM
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To kill one in ten and disperse the remaining nine to other groups; often used as punishment for mutiny in Roman legions.

I know that is technically the meaning, but dictionaries now seem to list the commonly (ab)used meaning "severely reduce in numbers" as well. I was just commenting on this last night while someone said it on the news.


#32013 06/13/01 01:34 PM
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the commonly (ab)used meaning

I suppose one could complain that it was being mis(ab)used merely by being applied to something other than a Roman legion.


#32014 06/13/01 01:35 PM
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They could be a bit more humane if they'd instead millimate, or kilomate (but not in Australia).

Brandon


#32015 06/13/01 01:49 PM
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Regrettably, "decimate" now seems to mean leaving only one out of ten alive. And it is often applied to inanimate objects. I saw a news item about a volcanic eruption decimating a city.


#32016 06/13/01 02:10 PM
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Kill every one and 999 more for each one in the cold-blooded bandit group for good measure? Ninety-nine times out of ten, that strategy will backfire on you.


#32017 06/13/01 05:05 PM
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Regrettably, "decimate" now seems to mean leaving only one out of ten alive. And it is often applied to inanimate objects. I saw a news item about a volcanic eruption decimating a city.

I think it's gotten way more general than that. It is used all the time in the news (as I mentioned above) to mean something like "destroy a substantial part of". (Not that the news should necessarily be a prime source of wordly advice!)


#32018 06/14/01 01:05 AM
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Well really, folks! You 'spect people who don't know no Latin to know how to verbiate with a Latin-root word?

tsk tsk. Latin's much to hard to learn. Requires memorization. Worse, using words correctly requires use of a (gasp) dictionary.

[grumpy emoticon emoting all over the place, with ironic smile]


#32019 06/24/01 05:44 AM
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<<Regrettably, "decimate" now seems to mean leaving only one out of ten *alive*. And it is often applied to *inanimate* objects.>>

Dear wwh,

From your hand, all things wondrous! :)



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