Decimation was a practice of group punishment in Roman times, where if a group of 100 soldiers deserted, you might punish them by forcing them to kill 1 in 10 of their rank. 1 in 10 would be beaten to death by the other 9. Nowadays, we use decimate to mean a significant loss in general, but the root Latin “decimatio” literally meant “removal of a tenth”.
I’m one of the 9 in 10.
Me too. Let’s find the seven others.
Another one found, six more to go.
Present. 5 more.
I’m in. 4 more.
Reporting in. 3 to go.
I’m here. Just 2 more left.
Whew, just made it. Glad I’m not that person.
Decimation was a practice of group punishment in Roman times, where if a group of 100 soldiers deserted, you might punish them by forcing them to kill 1 in 10 of their rank. 1 in 10 would be beaten to death by the other 9. Nowadays, we use decimate to mean a significant loss in general, but the root Latin “decimatio” literally meant “removal of a tenth”.