1599 J. Chamberlain Let. 1 Aug. (1861) 57 My Lord's decimating of Sir Harry Harringtons companies is much descanted of, and not greatly liked here.

1600 R. Carr tr. Mahumetane Hist. f.115 If at any time according to the manner of those wars the Consull should giue in command for any seruice not well executed, that a Capitall decimating amongst them, should be made.

1658 G. Wharton Second Narr. Late Parl. 12 The Protector..made him [sc. Colonel Barkstead] Major General of Middlesex in the Decimating business.

1825 tr. J. Fouché Mem. I. 20 I insinuated into their breasts more than mistrust,—the courage of henceforth opposing the Tyrant in any further decimating of the convention.

1895 N.Y. Produce Rev. 22 Jan. 14/2 The state antagonists of tuberculosis..with their tuberculin tests and their decimating of herds.

1900 Fibre & Fabric 20 Jan. 276/2 The decimating of the peoples by contagious diseases and spiritous liquors.

1962 Jrnl. Asian Stud. 21 235 Religious and/or political decisions..effected the swelling or decimating of Huangchung's population.

2004 Furnit. Today 24 May 40 Recycled teak..helps limit further decimating of forests while providing furniture companies a basic raw material.

a1627 T. Middleton Mayor of Quinborough (1661) To Rdr. sig. A2 Now whether this Magistrate fear'd the decimating times.

1704 S. Crisp Libeller Expos'd 21 The honest Quakers having ever been a Grievous Eye-sore to the Decimating Priests of our generation.

1755 J. Moncrieff Appius i. v. 12 Stern Justice and the decimating Ax!

1847 Hogg's Weekly Instructor 9 Jan. 307/1 This Kalendar, by making the week consist of ten days instead of seven, outraged the simplest indications of nature... This decimating absurdity was abolished on 1st January, 1806.

1856 Dublin Univ. Mag. Apr. 435/2 During the prevalence of the famine, and the decimating epidemic which it generated, she was a ministering angel to the poor and friendless.

1941 Charleston (W. Virginia) Gaz. 16 July 1/8 After this decimating defeat, according to the communique, ‘the remnants of the enemy troops had to be drawn back to the west’ in a broken retreat.

1996 L. Al-Hafidh et al. Europe: Rough Guide (ed. 3) ii. xix. 914 Several decimating fires and 600 years later, Oslo upped sticks and shifted west to its present site.

2014 Denver Post (Nexis) 13 June 12 a Colorado resort leaders never wish a decimating season on their peers from other states, but there's hope the 2013–14 season might turn some California skiers on to Colorado.