EXTENUATES

Verb

extenuates

Third-person singular simple present indicative form of extenuate

Source: Wiktionary


EXTENUATE

Ex*ten"u*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Extenuated(); p. pr. & vb. n. Extenuating().] Etym: [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 so as to lessen the thickness. His body behind the head becomes broad, from whence it is again extenuated all the way to the tail. Grew.

2. To lessen; to palliate; to lessen or weaken the force of; to diminish the conception of, as crime, guilt, faults, ills, accusations, etc.; -- opposed to aggravate. But fortune there extenuates the crime. Dryden. Let us extenuate, conceal, adorn the unpleasing reality. I. Taylor.

3. To lower or degrade; to detract from. [Obs.] Who can extenuate thee Milton.

Syn.

– To palliate; to mitigate. See Palliate.

Ex*ten"u*ate, v. i.

Definition: To become thinner; to make excuses; to advance palliating considerations. Burke.

Ex*ten"u*ate, a. Etym: [L. extenuatus, p. p.]

Definition: Thin; slender. [Obs.] Huloet.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

28 November 2024

SYNCRETISM

(noun) the fusion of originally different inflected forms (resulting in a reduction in the use of inflections)


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Coffee Trivia

In 1511, leaders in Mecca believed coffee stimulated radical thinking and outlawed the drink. In 1524, the leaders overturned that order, and people could drink coffee again.

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