tābesco, bŭi, 3, v. inch. n. [tabes], to melt gradually, to be dissolved or consumed; to waste, pine, or dwindle away; to decay, decline, languish (class.). Lit.: frigoribus durescit umor: et idem vicissim mollitur tepefactus et tabescit calore, Cic. N. D. 2, 10, 26; cf. Lucr. 6, 516; so, nives radiis (solis), id. 6, 964; 3, 581: cerae, Ov. A. A. 2, 89: sal, Cato, R. R. 88, 1; Plin. 31, 8, 44, § 95: calore Corpora, Ov. M. 15, 363.— Trop.: crescere itemque dies licet et tabescere noctes, Lucr. 5, 680; so, senex dies, Plaut. Stich. 5, 1, 8; Lucr. 5, 680: lumina, Cat. 68, 55: tuo maerore maceror, Macesco, consenesco et tabesco miser, Ossa atque pellis sum miser macritudine, id. Capt. 1, 2, 31: aeterno luctu, Lucr. 3, 911: molestiis, Cic. Tusc. 4, 17, 37: desiderio alicujus, id. Cat. 2, 4, 6: dolore ac miseriā, Ter. Ad. 4, 3, 12: otio, Cic. Att. 2, 14, 1: assiduis curis, Ov. Tr. 5, 1, 77: ut semel (Hypsipyle) Aemonio tabuit hospitio, Prop. 1, 15, 20 (18): amore, Ov. M. 3, 445; 4, 259: quodque aliena capella gerat distentius uber, Tabescat, i. e. is consumed with envy, Hor. S. 1, 1, 111: ex quibus (litteris) perspicio, nobis in hac calamitate tabescendum esse, Cic. Att. 3, 25 init.