v. rare. [a. obs. F. tabéfier (Paré, c. 1570), ad. late L. tābefacĕre (Vulgate), to cause to waste (f. tābē-re to waste, melt + facĕre to make): see -FY; cf. also late L. tābificāre (Cassiod.) in same sense (f. tābific-us TABIFIC), whence F. tabifier (Cotgr., Oudin).]
1. trans. To waste away, consume; to emaciate; † to melt down (obs.).
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Tabefy, to corrupt, consume or melt.
1657. Tomlinson, Renous Disp., 78. Out of these [Anacards] thus tabefied proceeds a liquor.
1666. G. Harvey, Morb. Angl. (1672), 79. Meat eaten in greater quantity than what is convenient tabefyes the body.
2. intr. To waste away gradually, become emaciated. rare.
1891. in Cent. Dict.
Hence Tabefied ppl. a., affected with tabes, decayed, consumptive.
1666. G. Harvey, Morb. Angl., i. 4. Whole families descended from tabefyed ancestors.