Ex-tēn'ū-ā'tion, n.

n. [Lat. extenuatio, Fr. exténuation, Sp. extenuacion, It. estenuazione, stenuazione.] The act of extenuating; the act of making thin or lean, or of palliating, diminishing, or lessening; palliation, as of a crime; mitigation, as of punishment.

Dispose them to listen . . . to every extenuation of what is evil. L. Taylor.