Evidence for DECIMATE ('one in ten')

[Douglas G. Wilson]

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"Decimate" = "kill 90%":

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http://books.google.com/books?id=YUALAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA161&dq=decimate+OR+decimates+OR+decimated+date:1660-1870&lr=&num=100&as_brr=3#PPA161,M1

1837: <<He had the men of Normandy also brought to Gedefort, and
decimated them; and when the tenth was set apart, hear what felony
they committed! they decimated that tenth once more, because it
appeared too many to save.>>

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http://books.google.com/books?id=fjEIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA90&dq=decimate+OR+decimates+OR+decimated+date:1660-1870&lr=&num=100&as_brr=3

1853: <<a multitude of monks, and a crowd, consisting not only of
men, but even women and children as well, were decimated, and nine
were put to death, while the tenth was reserved alive: ....>>

This is supposedly translated from Latin: I wonder how it read in Latin.

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There are more.

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"Decimate" = "kill some particular proportion", I think probably =
"kill 10%": non-military:

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http://books.google.com/books?id=g8FdSmhLVZYC&pg=PA244&dq=decimate+OR+decimates+OR+decimated+date:1660-1870&lr=&num=100&as_brr=3

1866: <<The pilgrim bands were at once decimated, and more than decimated.>>

Reference is to cholera.

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http://books.google.com/books?id=0XkAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA592&dq=decimate+OR+decimates+OR+decimated+date:1660-1870&lr=&num=100&as_brr=3

1867: <<... and when Pestilence followed close upon the heels of
Famine, and more than decimated, or twice decimated, the miserable
population; ....>>

Reference is to potato famine.

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There are more.

Here's a good one:

http://books.google.com/books?id=1F6tl8hQ2q8C&pg=PA10&dq=%22one+in+ten%22+decimate+OR+decimates+OR+decimated+date:1660-1870&lr=&num=100&as_brr=0

1866: <<In fact, during his occupation of Vera Cruz from 1858 to
1860, he proved an epidemic many degrees more fatal to churches than
the yellow fever, which decimates the population in the summer
months. For the yellow fever merely takes off one in ten, whereas
Juarez destroyed the nine and left the one.>>

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-- Doug Wilson


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