ex|ten|u|ate

ex|ten|u|ate
ex|ten|u|ate «ehk STEHN yu ayt», transitive verb, -at|ed, -at|ing.
1. to make the seriousness of (guilt, a fault, or an offense) seem less; excuse in part: »

The hunger of his children extenuated his crime of stealing a loaf of bread. His foreign upbringing extenuates his faulty pronunciation.

2. to make thin or weak; diminish.
3. Obsolete. a) to diminish in size, number, or amount. b) to lessen in degree.
4. Obsolete. to diminish in honor: »

Righteous are thy decrees on all thy works: Who can extenuate thee? (Milton).

╂[< Latin extenuāre (with English -ate1) < ex- out + tenuis thin]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • at|ten|u|ate — «verb. uh TEHN yu ayt; adjective. «uh TEHN yu iht», verb, at|ed, at|ing, adjective. –v.t. 1. to weaken in force, amount, or value; reduce: »The authority of kings has been attenuated in modern times. 2. Bacteriology. to make (microorganisms or vi …   Useful english dictionary

  • po|ten|ti|ate — «puh TEHN shee ayt», transitive verb, at|ed, at|ing. to give power or potency to; make more active; strengthen: »Certain narcotics potentiate the effects of alcohol in the body. SYNONYM(S): increase, intensify. –po|ten´ti|a´tion …   Useful english dictionary

  • in|ten|er|ate — «ihn TEHN uh rayt», transitive verb, at|ed, at|ing. to make tender; soften: »Thus she [nature] contrives to intenerate the granite and felspar (Emerson). ╂[< in 2 in + Latin …   Useful english dictionary

  • at·ten·u·ate — …   Useful english dictionary

  • ten — af·ten; aglis·ten; an·ten·nal; an·ten·nar·ia; an·ten·na·ri·i·dae; an·ten·na·ry; an·ten·na·ta; an·ten·nate; an·ten·ni·fer; an·ten·ni·form; an·ten·nu·la; an·ten·nu·lar; an·ten·nule; ap·pe·ten·cy; ar·ten·kreis; as·tro·pec·ten; at·ten·si·ty;… …   English syllables

  • ate — ab·bre·vi·ate; ac·cel·er·ate; acra·ni·ate; ac·u·ate; acu·le·ate; ac·yl·ate; adul·ter·ate; af·fec·tion·ate; af·fil·i·ate; ag·ate; ag·glom·er·ate; al·kyl·ate; al·lit·er·ate; am·mo·ni·ate; ap·pro·pri·ate; ar·che·go·ni·ate; as·cid·i·ate; as·per·ate;… …   English syllables

  • at|ten´u|a´tor — at|ten|u|ate «verb. uh TEHN yu ayt; adjective. «uh TEHN yu iht», verb, at|ed, at|ing, adjective. –v.t. 1. to weaken in force, amount, or value; reduce: »The authority of kings has been attenuated in modern times. 2. Bacteriology. to make… …   Useful english dictionary

  • at|ten´|u|a´tion — at|ten|u|ate «verb. uh TEHN yu ayt; adjective. «uh TEHN yu iht», verb, at|ed, at|ing, adjective. –v.t. 1. to weaken in force, amount, or value; reduce: »The authority of kings has been attenuated in modern times. 2. Bacteriology. to make… …   Useful english dictionary

  • po|ten´ti|a´tor — po|ten|ti|ate «puh TEHN shee ayt», transitive verb, at|ed, at|ing. to give power or potency to; make more active; strengthen: »Certain narcotics potentiate the effects of alcohol in the body. SYNONYM(S): increase, intensify. –po|ten´ti|a´tion …   Useful english dictionary

  • po|ten´ti|a´tion — po|ten|ti|ate «puh TEHN shee ayt», transitive verb, at|ed, at|ing. to give power or potency to; make more active; strengthen: »Certain narcotics potentiate the effects of alcohol in the body. SYNONYM(S): increase, intensify. –po|ten´ti|a´tion …   Useful english dictionary

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