ex-tĕnŭo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a., 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 , id. 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, id. 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.
IV —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.