3 ms·
This article reminded me of the word "decimate" Though it is now used to mean "to destroy a large number of", it used to have a very specific meaning: https:/
by chronolitus 5y ago
This article reminded me of the word "decimate"
Though it is now used to mean "to destroy a large number of", it used to have a very specific meaning:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimation_(Roman_army) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimation_(Roman_army)
- SigmundA 5y agoIt also has a specific meaning in signal processing [1] and always seems weird when I read or hear used in that way. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downsampling_(signal_processing) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downsampling_(signal_processin...
- dwighttk 5y agoSaved you a click: killing one out of ten captives.
- hprotagonist 5y agousually no; the classical case is “making a military unit punish itself by killing every 10th man at the hands of the other 9”.
- Grustaf 5y agoYeah, a specific and almost opposite meaning to how it's used now!
- swyx 5y agoalso memorably enacted in World War Z (the book) https://worldwarz.fandom.com/wiki/Holy_Russian_Empire https://worldwarz.fandom.com/wiki/Holy_Russian_Empire