I.perf. desipui, Lact. 2, 4, 4), v. a. and n. sapio. *
I. Act., to render insipid (late Lat. and rare), Tert. Pudic. 13. —
II. Neutr., to be void of understanding, to be silly, foolish; to act foolishly (class.): “summos viros desipere, delirare, dementes esse,” Cic. N. D. 1, 34, 94: “licet me desipere dicatis,” id. Planc. 37; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 46; id. Div. 2, 23, 51; Hor. S. 2, 3, 47; id. Ep. 1, 20, 9 al.: “dulce est desipere in loco,” to indulge in trifling, Hor. Od. 4, 12, 28.—With gen.: “desipiebam mentis, cum, etc.,” Plaut. Ep. 1, 2, 35: “quippe mortale aeterno jungere desipere est,” Lucr. 3, 802; cf. id. 5, 165 and 1043.—Of a person in a fever, etc., to be delirious, to rave: “intra verba,” Cels. 3, 18 init. —Hence, dēsĭpĭens , entis, P. a., foolish, silly: “desipientis arrogantiae est,” Cic. N. D. 2, 6, 16: estne quisquam ita desipiens, qui, etc. id. Div. 2, 23, 51.