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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread #32010 - 06/13/01 04:20 AM more odd press   **DONOTDELETE** Unregistered Anonymous Unregistered {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 Re: Decimate   Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 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 Re: Decimate   Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,156 Bean old hand Bean   old hand Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,156 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 Re: Decimate   Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 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 Re: Decimate   Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 218 Brandon enthusiast Brandon   enthusiast Joined: Mar 2000 Posts: 218 Mountain West, USA 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 Re: Decimate   Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 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 Re: Kilomate   Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 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 Re: Decimate   Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,156 Bean old hand Bean   old hand Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,156 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 Re: Decimate   Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 87 nikeblack journeyman nikeblack   journeyman Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 87 City of Brotherly Love, no not... 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 Re: Decimate   Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,379 inselpeter Pooh-Bah inselpeter   Pooh-Bah Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,379 New York City <<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! :) Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------   Information and announcements   Q&A about words   Wordplay and fun   Words and languages in schools   Miscellany   Weekly Themes   Looking for (writers, speakers, ...) (Old) Weekly themes. 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