Emily Dickinson Lexicon

EX-TENS'I-BIL-I-TY, n. [from extensible.]

The capacity of being extended, or of suffering extension; as, the extensibility of a fiber; or of a plate of metal. Grew.

EX-TENS'I-BLE, a. [from L. extensus.]

That may be extended; capable of being stretched in length or breadth; susceptible of enlargement. Holder.

EX-TENS'I-BLE-NESS, n.

Extensibility, – ­which see.

EX-TENS'ILE, a.

Capable of being extended.

EX-TEN'SION, n. [L. extensio.]

1. The act of extending; a stretching.
2. The state of being extended; enlargement in breadth, or continuation of length.
3. In philosophy, that property of a body by which it occupies a portion of space.

EX-TEN'SION-AL, a.

Having great extent. [Not used.] More.

EX-TENS'IVE, a.

1. Wide; large; having greater enlargement or extent; as, an extensive farm; an extensive field; an extensive lake; an extensive sphere of operations; extensive benevolence.
2. That may be extended. [Not used.] Boyle.

EX-TENS'IVE-LY, adv.

Widely; largely; to a great extent; as, a story is extensively circulated.

EX-TENS'IVE-NESS, n.

1. Wideness; largeness; extent; as, the extensiveness of the ocean.
2. Extent; diffusiveness; as, the extensiveness of a man's charities or benevolence.
3. Capacity of being extended. [Little used.] Ray.

EX-TENS'OR, a.

In anatomy, a muscle which serves to extend or straighten any part of the body, as an arm or a finger; opposed to flexor. Coxe. Cyc.

EX-TENT', a.

Extended. Spenser.

EX-TENT', n. [L. extentus. It is frequently accented on the first syllable.]

1. Space or degree to which a thing is extended; hence, compass; bulk; size; as, a great extent of country, or of a body.
2. Length; as, an extent of line.
3. Communication; distribution. The extent of equal justice. Shak.
4. In law, a writ of execution or extendi facias, commanding a sherif to value the lands of a debtor; or extent is the act of the sherif or commissioner in making the valuation. Encyc.

EX-TEN'U-ATE, a.

Thin; slender. [Not used.]

EX-TEN'U-ATE, v.t. [L. extenuo; ex and tenuo, to make thin; Sp. extenuar; It. stenuare. See Thin.]

1. To make thin, lean or slender. Sickness extenuates the body. Encyc.
2. To lessen; to diminish; as, a crime or guilt. But fortune there extenuates the crime. Dryden.
3. To lessen in representation; to palliate; opposed to aggravate.
4. To lessen or diminish in honor. [Little used.] Milton.
5. To make thin or rare; opposed to condense. [Little used.] Bacon.

EX-TEN'U-A-TED, pp.

Made thin, lean or slender; made smaller; lessened; diminished; palliated; made rare.

EX-TEN'U-A-TING, ppr.

Making thin or slender; lessening; diminishing; palliating; making rare.

EX-TEN-U-A'TION, n.

1. The act of making thin; the process of growing thin or lean; the losing of flesh.
2. The act of 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.
3. Mitigation; alleviation; as, the extenuation of punishment. [Not common.] Atterbury.

EX-TE'RI-OR, a. [L. from exterus, foreign; Fr. exterieur; It. esteriore.]

1. External; outward; applied to the outside or outer surface of a body, and opposed to interior. We speak of the exterior and interior surfaces of a concavo-convex lens.
2. External; on the outside, with reference to a person; extrinsic. We speak of an object exterior to a man, as opposed to that which is within or in his mind.
3. Foreign; relating to foreign nations; as, the exterior relations of a state or kingdom.

EX-TE'RI-OR, n.

1. The outward surface; that which is external.
2. Outward or visible deportment; appearance.

EX-TE-RI-OR'I-TY, n.

Surface; superficies.

EX-TE'RI-OR-LY, adv.

Outwardly; externally. [An ill formed word.] Shak.

EX-TE'RI-ORS, n. [plur.]

1. The outward parts of a thing. Shak.
2. Outward or external deportment, or forms and ceremonies; visible acts; as, the exteriors of religion.

EX-TERM'IN-ATE, v.t. [L. extermino; ex and terminus, limit. Literally, to drive from within the limits or borders. Hence,]

1. To destroy utterly; to drive away; to extirpate; as, to exterminate a colony, a tribe or a nation; to exterminate inhabitants or a race of men.
2. To eradicate; to root out; to extirpate; as, to exterminate error, heresy, infidelity or atheism; to exterminate vice.
3. To root out, as plants; to extirpate; as, to exterminate weeds.
4. In algebra, to take away; as, to exterminate surds or unknown quantities.

EX-TERM'IN-A-TED, pp.

Utterly driven away or destroyed; eradicated; extirpated.

EX-TERM'IN-A-TING, ppr.

Driving away or totally destroying; eradicating; extirpating.