at-tĕnŭo (adt-, Lachm., Merk., Weissenb.; att-, Kayser, K. and H., L. Müller), āvi, ātum, 1, v. a., 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.
III —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.: attenuātē , simply : attenuate presseque dicere, Cic. Brut. 55, 201.