extenuate

ex·ten·u·ate

 (ĭk-stĕn′yo͞o-āt′)

tr.v. ex·ten·u·at·ed, ex·ten·u·at·ing, ex·ten·u·ates

1. To lessen or appear to lessen the seriousness or extent of (an offense, for example), especially by providing partial excuses: extenuated his crime as part of his testimony.

2. Archaic

a. To make thin or emaciated.

b. To mitigate or lessen.

c. To belittle; disparage.

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[Latin extenuāre, extenuāt- : ex-, ex- + tenuāre, to make thin (from tenuis, thin; see ten- in Indo-European roots).]

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ex·ten′u·a′tive adj. & n.

ex·ten′u·a′tor n.

ex·ten′u·a·to′ry (-ə-tôr′ē) adj.

extenuate

(ɪkˈstɛnjʊˌeɪt)

vb (tr)

1. (Law) to represent (an offence, a fault, etc) as being less serious than it appears, as by showing mitigating circumstances

2. to cause to be or appear less serious; mitigate

3. to underestimate or make light of

4. archaic

a. to emaciate or weaken

b. to dilute or thin out

[C16: from Latin extenuāre to make thin, from tenuis thin, frail]

exˈtenuˌating adj

exˈtenuˌatingly adv

exˌtenuˈation n

exˈtenuˌator n

exˈtenuatory adj

ex•ten•u•ate

(ɪkˈstɛn yuˌeɪt)

v.t. -at•ed, -at•ing.

1. to make or try to make seem less serious esp. by offering excuses: extenuating circumstances.

2. Archaic.

a. to make light of.

b. to make thin, lean, or emaciated.

c. to reduce the consistency or density of.

[1375–1425; late Middle English (adj.) < Latin extenuātus, past participle of extenuāre=ex- ex-¹ + tenuāre to make thin]

ex•ten′u•at`ing•ly, adv.

ex•ten′u•a`tive, ex•ten′u•a•to`ry (-əˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i) adj.

ex•ten′u•a`tor, n.

extenuate

- Comes from the Latin verb extenuare, "make thin or lean," and originally meant "to treat as of small importance, make light of."

See also related terms for lean.

extenuate

Past participle: extenuated
Gerund: extenuating

Imperative

extenuate

extenuate

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

extenuate - lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of; "The circumstances extenuate the crime" mitigate, palliate law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order" apologise, rationalize, apologize, rationalise, justify, excuse - defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning; "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success"

extenuate

verb

1. To conceal or make light of a fault or offense:

explain away, gloss over, gloze (over), palliate, sleek over, whitewash.

2. Archaic. To make physically thin or thinner:

slim, thin.

Translations

beschönigen

exténuer

annacquare

extenuate

[eksˈtenjʊeɪt] VT → atenuar, mitigar, disminuir (la gravedad de)

extenuate

vt guilt → verringern, mindern; offence, conduct → beschönigen; extenuating circumstances → mildernde Umstände

extenuate

vt. mitigar, atenuar, disminuir.