extenuate
/ɪkˈstenjʊeɪt/verb
with obj.
1
- usu. as adj. extenuating make (guilt or an offence) seem less serious or more forgivable减轻（罪责或过错）的程度; 使看起来情有可原：
hunger and poverty are not treated by the courts as extenuating circumstances.
饥饿和贫穷没有被法庭视为可以减轻罪行的具体情况。
2
- usu. as adj. extenuated poetic/literary make (someone) thin〈诗/文〉使瘦削：
drawings of extenuated figures.
瘦削人物的素描。
派生词
extenuation
nounextenuatory
/-jʊətərɪ/ adjective词源
late Middle English （in the sense 'make thin, emaciate'）： from Latin extenuat- 'made thin', from the verb extenuare （based on tenuis 'thin'）.