释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024ex•ten•u•at•ing /ɪkˈstɛnyuˌeɪtɪŋ/USA pronunciation adj. - that make something seem less serious by providing excuses:He attributed his poor grades at school to extenuating circumstances.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024ex•ten•u•ate (ik sten′yo̅o̅ āt′),USA pronunciation v.t., -at•ed, -at•ing. - to represent (a fault, offense, etc.) as less serious:to extenuate a crime.
- to serve to make (a fault, offense, etc.) seem less serious.
- to underestimate, underrate, or make light of:Do not extenuate the difficulties we are in.
- [Archaic.]
- to make thin, lean, or emaciated.
- to reduce the consistency or density of.
- Latin extenuātus, past participle of extenuāre, equivalent. to ex- ex-1 + tenuāre to make thin or small; see -ate1
- late Middle English (adjective, adjectival) 1375–1425
ex•ten′u•at′ing, adj. ex•ten′u•at′ing•ly, adv. ex•ten′u•a′tive, adj. ex•ten′u•a′tor, n. Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: extenuate /ɪkˈstɛnjʊˌeɪt/ vb (transitive)- to represent (an offence, a fault, etc) as being less serious than it appears, as by showing mitigating circumstances
- to cause to be or appear less serious; mitigate
- archaic to emaciate or weaken
- to dilute or thin out
Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin extenuāre to make thin, from tenuis thin, frailexˈtenuˌating adj exˌtenuˈation n exˈtenuˌator n |