American Dictionary of the English Language

EXTENUA'TION, noun The act of making thin; the process of growing thin or lean; the losing of flesh.

1. The act representing any thing less wrong, faulty or criminal than it is in fact; palliation; opposed to aggravation; as the extenuation of faults, injuries or crimes.

2. Mitigation; alleviation; as the extenuation of punishment.

[Not common.]