EXTENUATION

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does extenuation mean? 

• EXTENUATION (noun)
  The noun EXTENUATION has 2 senses:

1. a partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances

2. to act in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious

  Familiarity information: EXTENUATION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EXTENUATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

extenuation; mitigation

Hypernyms ("extenuation" is a kind of...):

alibi; exculpation; excuse; self-justification (a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.)

Derivation:

extenuate (lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of)

Sense 2

Meaning:

To act in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

extenuation; mitigation; palliation

Hypernyms ("extenuation" is a kind of...):

decrease; diminution; reduction; step-down (the act of decreasing or reducing something)

Derivation:

extenuate (lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of)

 Context examples 

"But I somehow just can't," he said in extenuation.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The circumstances of his marriage, too, were found to admit of much extenuation.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

I hope this history of my conduct towards her will be admitted by you and my father as great extenuation of what you saw amiss.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Oh! That I could suggest anything in extenuation!

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

I sometimes thought of standing my trial, for, although I could not deny the facts alleged in the several articles, yet I hoped they would admit of some extenuation.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

And whenever Mrs. Gummidge was overcome in a similar manner during the remainder of our stay (which happened some few times), he always said the same thing in extenuation of the circumstance, and always with the tenderest commiseration.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Sir Walter seemed to admit it as complete apology; and though Elizabeth could not see the circumstance in quite so favourable a light, she allowed it be a great extenuation.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

It may bring many extenuations.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

I remember, when I was once interceding with the emperor for a criminal who had wronged his master of a great sum of money, which he had received by order and ran away with; and happening to tell his majesty, by way of extenuation, that it was only a breach of trust, the emperor thought it monstrous in me to offer as a defence the greatest aggravation of the crime; and truly I had little to say in return, farther than the common answer, that different nations had different customs; for, I confess, I was heartily ashamed.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)