dē-sipio, ere (perf. desipui, Lact. 2, 4, 4), v. a. and n. sapio. * Act., to render insipid (late Lat. and rare), Tert. Pudic. 13.

— 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, dēsipiens, 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.