attenuate
to weaken, to make less
TRANSLATION
vermindern, abschwächen; dünn od. schlank machen, verdünnen, dämpfen
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
"Fortunately for those who can afford it, a cocktail of different drugs can greatly attenuate the effects of HIV infection."
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know?
at-ten-u-ate
From the Latin attenure, attenut- : ad-, ad- + tenure, to make thin (from tenuis, thin)
1. To make slender, fine, or small:
"The lack of rain attenuated the river to a narrow channel."
2. To reduce in force, value, amount, or degree; weaken:
"Medicine attenuated the fever's effect."
3. To lessen the density of; rarefy.
4. Biology. To make (bacteria or viruses) less virulent.
5. Electronics. To reduce (the amplitude of an electrical signal) with little or no distortion.
Source: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Synonyms for "to weaken":
abate, attenuate, constrict, contract, cripple, debilitate, deflate, disable, dissipate, enfeeble, extenuate, lessen, mitigate, sap, shrink, thin, undermine
From the Latin attenure, attenut- : ad-, ad- + tenure, to make thin (from tenuis, thin)
1. To make slender, fine, or small:
"The lack of rain attenuated the river to a narrow channel."
2. To reduce in force, value, amount, or degree; weaken:
"Medicine attenuated the fever's effect."
3. To lessen the density of; rarefy.
4. Biology. To make (bacteria or viruses) less virulent.
5. Electronics. To reduce (the amplitude of an electrical signal) with little or no distortion.
Source: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Synonyms for "to weaken":
abate, attenuate, constrict, contract, cripple, debilitate, deflate, disable, dissipate, enfeeble, extenuate, lessen, mitigate, sap, shrink, thin, undermine
