I.to make thin or weak; to thin, attenuate; to weaken, enfeeble; to lessen, diminish.
I. Lit.: aëna Signa manus dextras ostendunt adtenuari Saepe salutantūm tactu, * Lucr. 1, 317 (cf.: “attritum mentum,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 43): “bellum (servile) exspectatione Pompeii attenuatum atque imminutum est, adventu sublatum ac sepultum,” Cic. Imp. Pomp. 11, 30: “legio proeliis attenuata,” Caes. B. C. 3, 89: “diutino morbo viribus admodum adtenuatis,” Liv. 39, 49; 25, 11: “fame attenuari,” Vulg. Job, 18, 12; ib. Jer. 14, 18: “macie attenuari,” ib. 2 Reg. 13, 4: “sortes adtenuatae,” diminished, Liv. 21, 62: “foliorum exilitate usque in fila attenuatā,” Plin. 21, 6, 16, § 30: “(lingua) attenuans lambendo cutem homines,” id. 11, 37, 65, § 172 al.: “Non falx attenuat frondatorum arboris umbram,” Cat. 64, 41: “adtenuant juvenum vigilatae corpora noctes,” Ov. A. A. 1, 735 (cf. infra, P. a.): “patrias opes,” id. M. 8, 844; so id. P. 4, 5, 38.—
II. Trop.: “curas lyrā,” Ov. Tr. 4, 1, 16; 4, 6, 18: “luctus,” Albin. ad Liv. 342: “insignem attenuat deus,” brings low, abases, Hor. C. 1, 34, 13: “attenuabit omnes deos terrae,” Vulg. Soph. 2, 11: hujusmodi partes sunt virtutis amplificandae, si suadebimus; attenuandae, si ab his dehortabimur, Auct. ad. Her. 3, 3, 6: “attenuabitur gloria Jacob,” Vulg. Isa. 17, 4.—Hence, attĕnŭātus (adt- ), a, um, P. a., enfeebled, weakened, reduced, weak.
I. Lit.: “adtenuatus amore,” Ov. M. 3, 489: continuatione laborum, August. ap. Suet. Tib. 21: fortuna rei familiaris attenuatissima, Auct. ad Her. 4, 41: “voce paululum attenuatā,” with a voice a little suppressed, id. ib. 3, 14: “acuta atque attenuata nimis acclamatio,” id. ib. 12, 21.—Comp. not in use. —Sup.: fortunae familiares attenuatissimae, Auct. ad Her. 4, 41, 53.—
II. Trop.
A. Feeble, destitute, poor (eccl. Lat.): “Siattenuatus frater tuus vendiderit etc.,” Vulg. Lev. 25, 25; 25, 35; 25, 47; ib. 2 Esdr. 5, 18. —
B. Esp., of discourse.
1. Shortened, brief: ipsa illa [pro Roscio] juvenilis redundantia multa habet attenuata, Cic. Or. 30, 108.—
2. Too much refined, affected: “itaque ejus oratio nimiā religione attenuata doctis et attente audientibus erat illustris,” hence his discourse was so delicately formed, through excessive scrupulousness, Cic. Brut. 82.—
3. Meagre, dry, without ornament: attenuata (oratio) est, quae demissa est usque ad usitatissimam puri sermonis consuetudinem, Auct. ad Her. 4, 8: “attenuata verborum constructio,” id. ib. 4, 10, 15.—* Adv.: at-tenuātē , simply: “attenuate presseque dicere,” Cic. Brut. 55, 201.
