decâ²iÂ·maâ²tion n. Usage Note: Decimate originally referred to the killing of every tenth person, a punishment used in the Roman army for mutinous legions. Today this meaning is commonly extended to include the killing of any large proportion of a population.
Why Do People Give in to Peer Pressure? Some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that other kids might make fun of them if they don't go along with the group. Others go along because they are curious to try something new that others are doing.
Usually, the way that the term peer pressure is used is describing a negative influence that one peer, or group of peers, has on another person. The term is often used when describing how a previous well-behaved young person developed problematic behaviors, especially related to alcohol or drug use.