I.to make thin, fine, or small, to thin, reduce, diminish (class.; syn.: attenuo, minuo; opp. augeo, amplifico).
I. Lit.: “lignum falce,” Varr. R. R. 1, 40, 6: “aër extenuatus sublime fertur,” rarefied, Cic. N. D. 2, 39, 101: “dentibus extenuatur et molitur cibus,” id. ib. 2, 54, 134: “in pulverem extenuari,” Plin. 18, 16, 43, § 148: “in aquas,” Ov. M. 5, 429: “mediam aciem,” Liv. 5, 38, 2; 31, 21, 14: “in Piceno lapidibus pluisse et Caere sortes extenuatas,” diminished, id. 21, 62, 5 Drak. (for which, shortly after: attenuatae sortes; cf. also id. 22, 1, 11).—
B. In partic., in medic. lang., to diminish, reduce, weaken, alleviate a disease: “pituitam,” Cels. 6, 6, 8: “destillationes,” Plin. 21, 21, 89, § 155: “albugines,” id. 29, 6, 38, § 127: “raucitatem,” id. 20, 6, 23, § 50: “scabiem,” id. 32, 10, 51, § 140 et saep.—
II. Trop., to diminish, lessen, weaken: “neque verbis auget suum munus, sed etiam extenuat,” Cic. Off. 2, 20, 70: “locupletissimi cujusque census extenuarant, tenuissimi auxerant,” had made too small, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 55, § 138: “spes nostra extenuatur et evanescit,” id. Att. 3, 13, 1: “quae cogitatio molestias extenuat et diluit,” id. Tusc. 3, 16, 34: “crimen,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 40, § 108: “famam belli,” Liv. 5, 37, 3: “extenua forti mala corde ferendo,” Ov. Tr. 3, 3, 57: “curas mora longa,” id. P. 1, 3, 26: “vires,” Hor. S. 1, 10, 14 et saep.—Hence, extĕnŭātus , a, um, P. a., thinned, weakened, weak.
A. Lit.: (copiolae meae) sunt extenuatissimae, very much thinned, reduced, Brut. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 13, 2.—
B. Trop.: “ratio,” Auct. Her. 2, 24, 37.