Library / English Dictionary

DECIMATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Kill in large numbers

Example:

the plague wiped out an entire population

Synonyms:

annihilate; carry off; decimate; eliminate; eradicate; extinguish; wipe out

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "decimate" is one way to...):

kill (cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly)

Verb group:

decimate (kill one in every ten, as of mutineers in Roman armies)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

decimation (destroying or killing a large part of the population (literally every tenth person as chosen by lot))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Kill one in every ten, as of mutineers in Roman armies

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "decimate" is one way to...):

kill (cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly)

Verb group:

annihilate; carry off; decimate; eliminate; eradicate; extinguish; wipe out (kill in large numbers)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

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