(v. a.P. a.P. a.) : 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* Trop.
* Feeble, destitute, poor (eccl. Lat.): Siattenuatus frater tuus vendiderit etc.,Vulg. Lev. 25, 25; 25, 35; 25, 47; ib. 2 Esdr. 5, 18.
* Esp., of discourse.
* Shortened, brief: ipsa illa [pro Roscio] juvenilis redundantia multa habet attenuata, Cic. Or. 30, 108.
* 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.
* 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.

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