dement (redirected from dementing)

de·ment  (d-mnt)

tr.v. de·ment·ed, de·ment·ing, de·ments

1. To make (a person) insane.

2. To cause (a person) to lose intellectual capacity.

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[Late Latin dmentre, from Latin dmns, dment-, senseless : d-, de- + mns, mind; see men-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

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dement [dɪˈmɛnt]

vb

1. (Medicine / Pathology) (intr) to deteriorate mentally, esp because of old age

2. (Psychiatry) (tr) Rare to drive mad; make insane

[from Late Latin dēmentāre to drive mad, from Latin de- + mēns mind]