I. extenuate adjective
Etymology: Middle English extenuat, from Latin extenuatus, past participle
obsolete : extenuated
II. ex·ten·u·ate ikˈstenyəˌwāt, ek-, usu -ād.+V transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin extenuatus, past participle of extenuare, from ex- ex- (I) + tenuare to make thin or small, from tenuis thin, small — more at thin
1.
a. archaic : to treat as of small importance : make light of
not by extenuating or by exaggerating the damage — Isaac Taylor
: underrate , underestimate
b.
(1) : to lessen or to try to lessen the real or apparent seriousness of (as a crime, offense, or fault) or extent of (guilt) by making partial excuses
they neither concealed nor extenuated their crime
or by affording a basis for excuses
the fact of his extreme youth certainly extenuated the act
: mitigate
(2) : to make partial excuses for : try to justify (as by making partial excuses)
he thought it necessary to extenuate the length of time he kept the dinner on the table — Charles Lamb
c. obsolete : to lessen the worth of : disparage , belittle
every man seemed wholly bent to extenuate the sum which fell to his share — Henry Fielding
2. archaic
a. : to make (as a person) thin or emaciated
peasants were … extenuated by hunger — W.E.H.Lecky
b. : to lessen the strength or extent of : weaken , diminish
in friendship the individual element is intensified, in fraternity it is extenuated — W.C.Brownell
3.
a. obsolete : to diminish especially in size, number, or amount
b. archaic : to lessen the force or effect of (as a law)
4. archaic : to make (as a liquid or gas) less concentrated : lessen the density of
extenuating the air — Samuel Vince
: thin out : attenuate , rarefy
Synonyms: see palliate , thin