extenuate

English
WOTD – 7 July 2022

Etymology 1

From Middle English extenuat (“(medicine) made thin, emaciated”),[1] from Latin extenuātus (“diminished, reduced, thinned”), the perfect passive participle of extenuō (“to diminish, reduce, thin”),[2] from ex- (intensifying prefix) + tenuō (“to enfeeble, weaken, wear down; to lessen, reduce; to make thin”). Tenuō is derived from tenuis (“fine, slender, thin; feeble, weak”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tenh₂- (“to extend, stretch; thin”)) + -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs).[3]

Pronunciation
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɪkˈstɛnjʊət/, /ɛk-/, /-juː/, /-eɪt/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ɪkˈstɛnjəˌwət/, /-eɪt/
  • Audio (GA)(file)
  • Hyphenation: ex‧ten‧u‧ate

Adjective

extenuate (comparative more extenuate, superlative most extenuate) (obsolete)

  1. Of a person: emaciated, wasted, weakened; of the body or part of it: atrophied, shrunken, withered.
  2. Of a quality or thing: lessened, weakened.
    • 1608, [Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas], “[Du Bartas His Second VVeeke, […].Abraham. […].] The Captaines. The IIII. Part of the III. Day of the II. Week.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 507:
      And, that ſame Maieſty, vvhich (as the Baſe / And Pedeſtal) ſupports the vvaight and grace, / Greatnes and glory of a vvell-Rul'd State, / It not extinguiſht nor extenuate, / By being parcelliz'd to a plurality / Of petty Kinglings, of a mean Equality: […]
    • 1631, Francis [Bacon], “New Atlantis. A Worke Vnfinished.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], page 40, →OCLC:
      VVee repreſent Small Sounds as Great and Deepe; Likevviſe Great Sounds, Extenuate and Sharpe; VVee make diuerſe Tremblings and VVarblings of Sounds, vvhich in their Originall are Entire.
  3. Reduced to poverty; impoverished.

Etymology 2

From Latin extenuātus (“diminished, reduced, thinned”): see further at etymology 1.[3]

Pronunciation

Verb

extenuate (third-person singular simple present extenuates, present participle extenuating, simple past and past participle extenuated) (transitive, formal)

  1. To make (something) less dense, or thinner; also, to lower the viscosity of (something).
    • 153[9], Thomas Elyot, “Herbes Used in Potage or to Eate”, in The Castel of Helth […], London: […] Thomæ Bertheleti […], →OCLC, book II, folio 26, verso:
      Garlyke. It doth extenuate and cutte groſſe humours and ſlymy, diſſolueth groſſe wyndes, and healeth all the body; […] yf it be ſodden vntyll it loſeth his tarteneſſe, it ſomewhat nouryſſheth, and yet looſeth not his propertie, to extenuate groſſe humours: […]
    • 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XV.] The Natures of Trees that Beare Fruit.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], 1st tome, London: […] Adam Islip, published 1635, →OCLC, page 431:
      [T]hey ſuppoſe an Olive the more grovvne it is in carnoſitie, to be the fuller of oile: vvhereas in very truth, all the good juice in them is converted then into the groſſe and corpulent ſubſtance thereof, […] unleſſe there enſue a drie ſeaſon and faire vveather to extenuate that groſſe ſubſtance into vvhich the Olive had turned the foreſaid juice and humour, all the oile is conſumed and loſt.
    • 1608, Edward Topsell, “Of the Way to Driue Away Serpents. Of Their Poison and Bytings.”, in The Historie of Serpents. Or, The Second Booke of Liuing Creatures: […], London: […] William Jaggard, →OCLC, page 45:
      [A]ll men doe agree, that thoſe medicines are profitable vvhich doe extenuate, as all thoſe doe vvhich haue a propertie to prouoke vrine, and Betonie is of this qualitie, and therefore beeing taken vvith VVine, it muſt needes doe good in venomous bytings, and that not onely in the bytings of men and Apes, but in Serpents alſo.
    • 1631, Francis [Bacon], “I. Century. [Experiment Solitary Touching the Secret Nature of the Flame.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], paragraph 31, page 11, →OCLC:
      It appeareth alſo, that the forme of Piramis in Flame, vvhich vve uſually ſee, is meerely by Accident, and that the Aire about, by quenching the Sides of the Flame, cruſheth it, and extenuateth it into that Forme; For of it ſelfe it vvould be Round: […]
    • 1638, George Sandys, “A Paraphrase upon Iob”, in A Paraphrase upon the Divine Poems, London: […] Iohn Legatt, →OCLC, page 46:
      He the congealed vapors melts againe; / Extenuated into drops of Raine: / VVhich on the thirſtie Earth in ſhovvers diſtill; / And all that life poſſeſſe vvith plenty fill.
    • 1661, Robert Lovell, “Calse. Vitulus.”, in ΠΑΝΖΩΟΡΥΚΤΟΛΟΓΙΑ [PANZŌORYKTOLOGIA]. Sive Panzoologicomineralogia. Or A Compleat History of Animals and Minerals, Containing the Summe of All Authors, both Ancient and Modern, Galenicall and Chymicall, [...], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Hen[ry] Hall, for Jos[eph] Godwin, →OCLC, page 24:
      Applied it [the fat of a bull calf] extenuateth the eyebrovvs: Plin[y the Elder].
  2. (archaic)
    1. To make (someone or something) slender or thin; to emaciate, to waste.
      • 1824, Robert Southey, “View of the Papal System”, in The Book of the Church. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, pages 305–306:
        It was deemed meritorious to disfigure the body by neglect and filth, to extenuate it by fasting and watchfulness, to lacerate it with stripes, and to fret the wounds with cilices of horsehair.
      • 1858, Thomas Carlyle, “Crown-Prince’s Marriage”, in History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Called Frederick the Great, volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book IX, page 465:
        Mamma's reception of her, just off the long winter journey, and extenuated with fatigues and sickly chagrins, was of the most cutting cruelty: "What do you want here? What is a medicant like you come hither for?"
    2. To underestimate or understate the importance of (something); to underrate.
      • 1749, Henry Fielding, “The Adventure of a Company of Soldiers”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume III, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book VII, page 83:
        The Company having novv pretty vvell ſatisfied their Thirſt, nothing remained but to pay the Reckoning, a Circumſtance often productive of much Miſchief and Diſcontent among the inferior Rank of Gentry; vvho are apt to find great Difficulty in aſſeſſing the Sum, vvith exact Regard to diſtributive Juſtice, vvhich directs, that every Man ſhall pay according to the Quantity vvhich he drinks. […] In this Controverſy, the vvhole Company ſpoke together, and every Man ſeemed vvholly bent to extenuate the Sum vvhich fell to his Share; […]
      1. (specifically) To diminish or seek to diminish the extent or severity of (a crime, guilt, a mistake, or something else negative) by making apologies or excuses; to palliate.
        to extenuate his faults    to extenuate their crimes
        • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, Much Adoe about Nothing. […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
          I knovv vvhat you vvould ſay: if I haue knovvne her, / You vvill ſay, ſhe did imbrace me as a husband, / And ſo extenuate the forehand ſinne: No, Leonato, / I never tempted her vvith vvord too large; / But as a brother to his ſiſter, ſhevved / Baſhful ſinceritie, and comelie loue.
        • 1636, Iohn Weemse [i.e., John Wemyss], “[Commandement. IX.] How a Man Should Rule His Tongue, in Speaking of Himselfe or His Neighbour”, in An Exposition of the Morall Law, or Ten Commandments of Almighty God: […], London: […] Cotes, for John Bellamie, […], →OCLC, page 327:
          [L]et us ſee hovv the vvicked behave themſelves here; they are full of their ovvne praiſes, the Phariſee ſaid, I faſt tvvice in the vveeke, and I give my tithes: but vvhen he ſpeaketh of his ovvne ſinnes, he extenuateth them and maketh them nothing; […]
        • 1651, Thomas Hobbes, “Of Crimes, Excuses, and Extenuations”, in Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civill, London: […] [William Wilson] for Andrew Crooke, […], →OCLC, 2nd part (Of Common-wealth), page 154:
          And of thoſe defects in Reaſoning, there is none that can Excuſe (though ſome of them may Extenuate) a Crime, in any man, that pretendeth to the adminiſtration of his ovvn private buſineſſe; much leſſe in them that undertake a publique charge; becauſe they pretend to the Reaſon, upon the vvant vvhereof they vvould ground their Excuſe.
        • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author being Informed of a Design to Accuse Him of High-Treason, Makes His Escape to Blefuscu. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), page 121:
          In the ſeveral Debates upon this Impeachment, it muſt be confeſſed that his Majeſty gave many marks Of his great Lenity, often urging the Services you had done him, and endeavouring to extenuate your Crimes.
        • 1727, Thomas Fuller, compiler, Introductio ad Prudentiam: Or, Directions, Counsels, and Cautions; Tending to Prudent Management of Affairs in Common Life. The Second Part. […], London: […] [William Bowyer] for Stephen Austen […], →OCLC, paragraph 2815, page 128:
          Tho' thou art not to publiſh thy Faults in a ſhameleſs, impudent VVay; yet if (vvhen they are viſible) thou art told of them, thou diſovvneſt, excuſeſt, or even extenuateſt them, thou doſt thereby but ſet them more in the Light, and makeſt them greater.
        • 1832, [Isaac Taylor], “The Means of Mercy”, in Saturday Evening. […], London: Holdsworth and Ball, →OCLC, page 58:
          No power, no decree, human or divine, no amnesty, can actually alienate from a man his property in a crime he has perpetrated. Let us then contemplate this companion of our existence;—and let us extenuate, conceal, adorn the unpleasing reality.
        • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Lord Marchmont’s Jealousy”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 191:
          [Y]ou yourself know that I am what is called innocent; but I do not for a moment extenuate the error I have committed. But I have some claims on your forbearance. Ask your own heart if it has ever shewn to me that affection which is woman's best safety.
  3. (obsolete)
    1. To beat or draw (a metal object, etc.) out so as to lessen the thickness.
      • 1599, Duarte de Sande, “An Excellent Treatise of the Kingdome of China, and of the Estate and Gouernment thereof: […]”, in Richard Hakluyt, transl., The Second Volume of the Principal Nauigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoueries of the English Nation, […], 2nd edition, London: […] George Bishop, Ralph Newbery, and Robert Barker, →OCLC, 2nd part, page 90:
        [T]he Chinians can very cunningly beate and extenuate gold into plates and leaues.
      • 1681, Nehemiah Grew, “Of Viviperous Fishes”, in Musæum Regalis Societatis. Or A Catalogue & Description of the Natural and Artificial Rarities Belonging to the Royal Society and Preserved at Gresham Colledge. […], London: […] W. Rawlins, for the author, →OCLC, part I (Of Animals), section V (Of Fishes), page 85:
        His [the sawfish's] Trunk or Body preſently behind his Head, becomes five inches broad, and about three high; from whence it is again extenuated all the way to the end of his Tail.
    2. To reduce the quality or quantity of (something); to lessen or weaken the force of (something).
      Synonym: mitigate
      Antonym: aggravate
      • 1593, Gabriel Harvey, Pierces Supererogation: Or A New Prayse of the Old Asse, London: […] Iohn Wolfe, →OCLC; republished as John Payne Collier, editor, Pierces Supererogation: Or A New Prayse of the Old Asse. A Preparative to Certaine Larger Discourses, Intituled Nashes S. Fame (Miscellaneous Tracts. Temp. Eliz. & Jac. I; no. 8), [London: [s.n.], 1870], →OCLC, page 44:
        Arte amplifieth or extenuateth at occaſion: the reſidue is the liberality of the pen, or the poyſon of the inke: […]
      • c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, A Midsommer Nights Dreame. […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Richard Bradock] for Thomas Fisher, […], published 1600, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
        For you, faire Hermia, looke you arme your ſelfe, / To fit your fancies, to your fathers vvill; / Or elſe, the Lavv of Athens yeelds you vp / (VVhich by no meanes vve may extenuate) / To death, or to a vovve of ſingle life.
      • 1634, T[homas] H[erbert], “A Description of Alharaff in Hyrcania”, in A Relation of Some Yeares Trauaile, Begunne Anno 1626. into Afrique and the Greater Asia, […], London: […] William Stansby, and Jacob Bloome, →OCLC, page 94:
        Their Country is vſefull for paſſage into Tartarie and Turcomania, and therefore has endured no ſmall troubles to defend its right. Tis pleaſant and rich, and therefore a bait to allure her Sun-burnt and famiſht Neighbours to extenuate her plentie.
      • 1643, William Prynne, “An Appendix: [...].”, in The Soveraigne Power of Parliaments and Kingdomes: […], London: […] Michael Sparke Senior, →OCLC, pages 161–162:
        […] If Kings cannot by Lavv change or extenuate Lavvs once approved vvithout the conſent of the Republike, much leſſe can they make and create nevv Lavvs; […]
    3. To degrade (someone); to detract from (someone's qualities, reputation, etc.); to depreciate, to disparage.
Conjugation
Conjugation of extenuate
infinitive (to) extenuate
present tense past tense
1st-person singular extenuate extenuated
2nd-person singular extenuate, extenuatest† extenuated, extenuatedst†
3rd-person singular extenuates, extenuateth† extenuated
plural extenuate
subjunctive extenuate extenuated
imperative extenuate —
participles extenuating extenuated

†Archaic or obsolete.

Derived terms
Translations
to underestimate or understate the importance of (something) — see underestimate,‎ underrate

References
  1. “extenūāt, ppl.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  2. Compare “† extenuate, adj.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, June 2021.
  3. “extenuate, v.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, December 2021; “extenuate, v.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Latin

Pronunciation

Verb

extenuāte

  1. second-person plural present active imperative of extenuō

Spanish

Verb

extenuate

  1. second-person singular voseo imperative of extenuar combined with te
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