Crossword clues for extenuate
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Extenuate \Ex*ten"u*ate\, a. [L. extenuatus, p. p.]
Thin; slender. [Obs.]
--Huloet.
Extenuate \Ex*ten"u*ate\, v. i.
To become thinner; to make excuses; to advance palliating
considerations.
--Burke.
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.]
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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. -
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. -
To lower or degrade; to detract from. [Obs.]
Who can extenuate thee?
--Milton.Syn: To palliate; to mitigate. See Palliate.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1520s, from Latin extenuatus, past participle of extenuare "lessen, make small, reduce, diminish, detract from," from ex- "out" (see ex-) + tenuare "make thin," from tenuis "thin" (see tenet). Used over the years in a variety of literal and figurative senses in English. Related: Extenuated; extenuating. Extenuating circumstances (1660s) are those which lessen the magnitude of guilt (opposed to aggravating).
Wiktionary
vb. 1 (context transitive English) To make thin or slender; to draw out so as to lessen the thickness. 2 (context intransitive English) To become thinner. 3 (context transitive English) 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. 4 (context obsolete English) To lower or degrade; to detract from.
WordNet
Usage examples of "extenuate".
The zealous Hilary, who, from the peculiar hardships of his situation, was inclined to extenuate rather than to aggravate the errors of the Oriental clergy, declares, that in the wide extent of the ten provinces of Asia, to which he had been banished, there could be found very few prelates who had preserved the knowledge of the true God.
He cannot extenuate his behavior by building a cobwebbery of theories that makes sense only in his own mind.
These facts are not meant to suggest extenuating circumstances for what happened.
Perhaps they were suffering from battle fatigue, which the Army recognizes under Article 118 as extenuating circumstances for murder.
I think the pre-sentencing presentation of extenuating circumstances is ultimately more important than the verdict in a case like this.
Corva, he is attempting to establish what he believes are extenuating and mitigating circumstances for the crime which you have proven.
I understand that the Code specifically recognizes combat fatigue and all that this term implies as an extenuating factor in cases such as these.
Corva, asked me if I would like to make a sworn statement in extenuation or mitigation on my own behalf, I told him I could think of no extenuating or mitigating circumstances that I could swear to.
Those milk-sops on the jury are just capable of according him extenuating circumstances.
What tribunal would fail to find extenuating circumstances for a moment of frenzy so excusable.
His lawyer will often build a defence based on this reason behind the reason and call it an extenuating circumstance.
Not in the name of extenuating circumstances, not in the name of mercy, mother, or God in heaven!
Langley was the scene of strange and eerie doings this day as a voice from the grave was offered as an extenuating circumstance by defence attorney Brice Mack during his opening remarks in the trial of Elliot Hoover, accused kidnapper of ten- year-old Ivy Templeton.
If Othello has played his Ancient false, that is an extenuating circumstance in the otherwise extraordinary guilt of Iago, and would no doubt be accorded to him as such, were he on trial before a French jury.
She was found guilty in the full degree, but to Gaudry were accorded extenuating circumstances.