• Poverty and desperation are extenuating factors in Bangladesh, but not in the United States —New Yorker, 1973
• The law itself, framed as it is in terms of strict liability, is not concerned with any niceties which might be provoked by extenuating circumstances —K. Hawkins, 1993.
Modern English usage. 2014.
Extenuate — Ex*ten u*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Extenuated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Extenuating}.] [L. extenuatus, p. p. of extenuare to make thin, loosen, weaken; ex out + tenuare to make thin, tenuis thin. See {Tenuity}.] 1. To make thin or slender; to draw out… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
extenuate — I verb absolve, acquit, allow for, attemper, attenuate, clear, condone, debilitate, deprive of strength, dilute, diminish, enervate, enfeeble, exculpate, excuse, exonerate, forgive, justify, lessen, levare, lighten, make allowance for, make… … Law dictionary
Extenuate — Ex*ten u*ate, v. i. To become thinner; to make excuses; to advance palliating considerations. Burke. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Extenuate — Ex*ten u*ate, a. [L. extenuatus, p. p.] Thin; slender. [Obs.] Huloet. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
extenuate — 1520s, from L. extenuatus, pp. of extenuare lessen, make small, reduce, diminish, from ex out (see EX (Cf. ex )) + tenuare make thin, from tenuis thin (see TENET (Cf. tenet)). Related: Extenuated; … Etymology dictionary
extenuate — vb 1 attenuate, *thin, dilute, rarefy Analogous words: diminish, lessen, reduce, *decrease: *weaken, enfeeble, debilitate: *moderate, temper, qualify Antonyms: intensify Contrasted words: aggravate, heighten, enhance (see INTENSIFY) … New Dictionary of Synonyms
extenuate — [v] lessen, mitigate decrease, diminish, downplay, excuse, justify, make allowances, minimize, moderate, palliate, qualify, reduce, soften; concepts 247,698,776 … New thesaurus
extenuate — ► VERB 1) (usu. as adj. extenuating) lessen the seriousness of (an offence) by referring to a factor that helps excuse it. 2) (extenuated) literary thin. DERIVATIVES extenuation noun extenuatory adjective. ORIGIN … English terms dictionary
extenuate — [ek sten′yo͞o āt΄, iksten′yo͞o āt΄] vt. extenuated, extenuating [< L extenuatus, pp. of extenuare < ex , out + tenuare, to make thin < tenuis, THIN] 1. Archaic to make thin or lean 2. Now Rare to diminish or weaken 3. to lessen or seem… … English World dictionary
extenuate — extenuating, adj. extenuatingly, adv. extenuative, adj. extenuator, n. /ik sten yooh ayt /, v.t., extenuated, extenuating. 1. to represent (a fault, offense, etc.) as less serious: to extenuate a crime. 2. to serve to make (a fault, offense,… … Universalium
