extenuate
含义: To lessen the seriousness of an offence or wrongdoing by providing a partial excuse or mitigating explanation. Most commonly encountered in the legal phrase 'extenuating circumstances.'
Extenuate is overwhelmingly used in legal and formal contexts, particularly in the compound 'extenuating circumstances' — factors that reduce the perceived culpability of an offender without completely excusing their actions. Outside this fixed phrase, the bare verb is relatively rare and distinctly literary. It implies not a full defence but a partial mitigation, acknowledging wrongdoing while arguing it was less blameworthy than it appears. The adjective 'extenuating' is far more common than the verb itself.
例句
- The defence counsel presented several extenuating circumstances, including the defendant's difficult upbringing and history of mental illness. 辩护律师提出了几项情有可原的情况,包括被告人艰难的成长环境和精神疾病史。El abogado defensor presentó varias circunstancias atenuantes, entre ellas la infancia difícil del acusado y su historial de enfermedades mentales.弁護人は、被告人の困難な生い立ちや精神疾患の既往歴を含む、いくつかの酌量すべき事情を提示した。변호인은 피고인의 어려운 성장 환경과 정신 질환 병력을 포함한 여러 참작할 만한 사정을 제시했다.
- Nothing could extenuate the severity of the fraud, but the judge acknowledged the pressure the accused had been under. 没有什么能减轻这起欺诈的严重性,但法官承认了被告所承受的压力。Nada podía atenuar la gravedad del fraude, pero el juez reconoció la presión a la que había estado sometido el acusado.詐欺の深刻さを軽減できるものは何もなかったが、裁判官は被告人が受けていた圧力を認めた。사기의 심각성을 경감시킬 수 있는 것은 아무것도 없었지만, 판사는 피고인이 받았던 압박을 인정했다.
- The university's regulations allow students to submit claims for extenuating circumstances that may have affected their examination performance. 该大学的规定允许学生提交可能影响其考试成绩的情有可原情况的申请。El reglamento de la universidad permite a los estudiantes presentar solicitudes por circunstancias atenuantes que puedan haber afectado a su rendimiento en los exámenes.大学の規則では、試験成績に影響を及ぼした可能性のある酌量すべき事情について、学生が申請を提出することが認められている。대학 규정에 따르면 학생들은 시험 성적에 영향을 미쳤을 수 있는 참작 사유에 대한 신청서를 제출할 수 있다.
发音
用法指南
语境: academic, professional
语气: neutral
起源与历史
From Latin extenuare (to make thin, diminish, lessen), from ex- (out) and tenuare (to make thin), from tenuis (thin, slender). Entered English in the early 16th century.
文化背景
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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