Faulty dice matched having lost every tenth (9)
I believe the answer is:
decimated
'lost every tenth' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are past participle verbs, I can't understand how they can define each other.
'faulty dice matched' is the wordplay.
'faulty' indicates an anagram.
'matched' becomes 'mated' (associated in meaning).
'dice' with letters rearranged gives 'deci'.
'deci'+'mated'='DECIMATED'
'having' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for decimated that I've seen before include "Reduced by 10%" , "reduced in number" .)