I.the tenth.
I. Prop.: “mensis,” Plaut. Am. 1, 2, 19; cf. Ter. Ad. 3, 4, 29: “legio,” Caes. B. G. 1, 40; cf. ib. 41; 42 al.: “decima hora,” Cic. Phil. 2, 31; “and without hora,” Auct. Her. 4, 51: “annus,” Verg. A. 9, 155: “septuma (dies) post decumam,” i. e. the seventeenth, id. G. 1, 284 Voss.: “cum decumo efficit ager,” i. e. tenfold, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 47, § 112; so, extulisset, ib. § 113.—*
1. As an offering: “testatur Terentius Varro ... majores solitos decimam Herculi vovere,” Macr. S. 3, 12; so Varr. L. L. 6, § 54 Müll.; Just. 18, 7, 7; cf. with pars; Naev. ap. Prisc. p. 874 P.; Plaut. Stich. 1, 3, 80: “tibi (sc. Pythico Apollini) hinc decumam partem praedae voveo,” Liv. 5, 21; cf.: “cum vovissent Apollini decumas praedae,” Just. 20, 3, 3; cf. id. 18, 7, 7; Vulg. Gen. 14, 20; “so esp. of the tithes given by the Hebrews to support the priesthood,” id. Num. 18, 21 et saep.—
2. A largess openly bestowed by public men on the people: “Oresti nuper prandia in semitis decumae nomine magno honori fuerunt,” Cic. Off. 2, 17, 58; so Suet. Calig. 26; id. Galb. 15; Tac. H. 1, 20.—
3. A tithe, as a tax on landholders in the provinces, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 10, § 25; more freq. in plur., id. ib. 2, 3, 39, § 89 sq.—
4. A tithe, as conveyed by last will: decimas uxoribus dari, Trach. ap. Quint. 8, 5, 19.
II. Meton. (like decem, decies, etc.), considerable, large, immense (poet.): “vastius insurgens decimae ruit impetus undae,” Ov. M. 11, 530 (cf.: decimanus, no. II., and in Gr. τρικυμία); “so of billows,” Sil. 14, 122; Luc. 5, 672; Val. Fl. 2, 54 (decimus by circumlocut.: qui venit hic fluctus, fluctus supereminet omnes; “posterior nono est undecimoque prior,” Ov. Tr. 1, 2, 50).
