extenuate Copy link Outline 1. lĕvo, 1 (to lighten the guilt of)2. mītĭgo, 13. mĭnuo, i, ūtum, 3 • extenuate: 1. lĕvo, 1 (to lighten the guilt of): some e. the guilt of the king, l. quidam regis facinus, Liv. 4, 18: to endeavour to e. the guilt of an accused person, quae apta sunt ad accusatoris criminationem levandam proferre, cf. Cic. Inv. 2, 28, 84. 2. mītĭgo, 1: to e. a crime, atrocitatem sceleris m., cf. Cic. Off. 1, 12, 37. 3. mĭnuo, i, ūtum, 3: to deny charges, to defend, to e., objecta negare, defendere, minuere, Quint. 7, 2, 29: cf. id. 7, 4, 15: v. to diminish. Phr.: to e. a crime on the ground of the intention of the accused, [diluendi criminis causa] voluntatem rei defendere, Cic. Inv. 2, 33, 101: to e. a fault, *quae quis deliquerit minora esse demonstrare propter quasdam causas (cf. Cic. Inv. 2, 35). N.B. Extĕnuo., attĕnuo, mostly signify to diminish the importance or value of, opp. to amplifico: cf. Cic. Inv. 2, 25, 75; Auct. Her. 3, 3, 6.