(v. a.P. a.) : ex-tĕnŭo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a.
* To make thin, fine, or small, to thin, reduce, diminish (class.; syn.: attenuo, minuo; opp. augeo, amplifico).
* 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).
* 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.
* 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.
* Lit.: (copiolae meae) sunt extenuatissimae, very much thinned, reduced, Brut. ap. Cic. Fam. 11, 13, 2.
* Trop.: ratio,Auct. Her. 2, 24, 37.

s. TLL