Mitigating, in this use, points to facts that make a crime or a bad mistake seem less serious, even though it still happened. Lawyers say mitigating circumstances or mitigating factors: perhaps the person was very young, was under huge pressure, or has a clean past. A judge may still say they did wrong, but those facts can mean a lighter punishment.

Mitigating, in this use在這個用法裡, points to facts指的是那些事實 that make a crime or a bad mistake seem less serious讓一項罪行或嚴重的過失看起來沒那麼嚴重, even though it still happened即使那件事確實發生了. Lawyers say律師會說 mitigating circumstances or mitigating factors mitigating circumstances或mitigating factors: perhaps the person was very young也許是這個人當時還很年輕, was under huge pressure或承受著巨大的壓力, or has a clean past或者過去沒有不良紀錄. A judge may still say they did wrong法官還是可能會說他們做錯了, but those facts can mean a lighter punishment但這些事實可能讓刑罰變輕.

People stretch it outside court too: a student might call a family emergency a mitigating factor for late work. It is a fairly formal word, most at home in law, school reports, and careful apologies.

People stretch it outside court too人們在法庭之外也會把這個詞用得更寬: a student might call a family emergency a mitigating factor for late work一個學生可能會把家庭緊急狀況稱為作業遲交的mitigating factor. It is a fairly formal word這是個相當正式的字, most at home in law, school reports, and careful apologies最常出現在法律、學校報告，還有謹慎的道歉裡.

It does not mean “not guilty.” The opposite idea is aggravating — facts that make the thing look worse.

It does not mean 'not guilty.'它不代表『無罪』 The opposite idea is aggravating相反的概念是aggravating — facts that make the thing look worse也就是讓事情看起來更糟的那些事實.