Attenuate — At*ten u*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Attenuated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Attenuating}.] [L. attenuatus, p. p. of attenuare; ad + tenuare to make thin, tenuis thin. See {Thin}.] 1. To make thin or slender, as by mechanical or chemical action upon… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
attenuate — I verb attenuare, bate, constrict, constringe, contract, curtail, debilitate, decrease, deflate, devitalize, diminish, diminish in effect, extenuare, extenuate, lessen, lighten, make thin, narrow, reduce, reduce in intensity, reduce in strength,… … Law dictionary
Attenuate — At*ten u*ate, v. i. To become thin, slender, or fine; to grow less; to lessen. [1913 Webster] The attention attenuates as its sphere contracts. Coleridge. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Attenuate — At*ten u*ate, Attenuated At*ten u*a ted, a. [L. attenuatus, p. p.] 1. Made thin or slender. [1913 Webster] 2. Made thin or less viscid; rarefied. Bacon. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
attenuate — (v.) to make thin, to make less, 1520s, from L. attenuatus enfeebled, weak, pp. of attenuare to make thin, lessen, diminish, from ad to (see AD (Cf. ad )) + tenuare make thin, from tenuis thin (see TENET (Cf … Etymology dictionary
attenuate — vb *thin, rarefy, dilute, extenuate Analogous words: *weaken, sap: reduce, lessen (see DECREASE): dissipate (see SCATTER): *contract, shrink, constrict, deflate Antonyms: enlarge: dilate: enrich Contrasted words: * … New Dictionary of Synonyms
attenuate — [v] weaken abate, constrict, contract, cripple, debilitate, deflate, disable, dissipate, enfeeble, extenuate, lessen, mitigate, sap, shrink, thin, undermine, vitiate; concept 240 Ant. expand, increase, intensify, strengthen … New thesaurus
attenuate — ► VERB 1) reduce the strength, effect, or value of. 2) make thin or thinner. DERIVATIVES attenuation noun. ORIGIN Latin attenuare make slender … English terms dictionary
attenuate — [ə ten′yo͞o āt΄; ] for adj. [, ə ten′yo͞oit, ə ten′yo͞oāt΄] vt. attenuated, attenuating [< L attenuatus, pp. of attenuare, to make thin < ad to + tenuare < tenuis, THIN] 1. to make slender or thin 2. to dilute or rarefy 3. to lessen in… … English World dictionary
attenuate — [[t]əte̱njueɪt[/t]] attenuates, attenuating, attenuated VERB To attenuate something means to reduce it or weaken it. [FORMAL] [V n] You could never eliminate risk, but preparation and training could attenuate it... [V ed] Theirs had been an… … English dictionary
