Lewis & Short

dē-spūmo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. and n. (perh. not ante-Aug.).

  1. I. Act.
    1. A. To skim off, to skim.
      1. 1. Prop.: undam aeni foliis, Verg. G. 1, 296: carnem, Plin. 9, 38, 62, § 133: mel Atticum, Col. 12, 38, 5: aquam salsam, Pall. Febr. 25, 10.
      2. 2. Transf., to work off, digest wine: Falernum, Pers. 3, 3; to rub off, polish a pavement: pavimenti fastigium cote, Plin. 36, 25, 62, § 187; cf. Vitr. 7, 4; to let blood, to bleed a horse, Veg. A. V. 3, 34, 2 al.
    2. B. To deposit a frothy matter, Luc. 6, 506; Claud. in Prob. et Olyb. 54: Phoebe suppositas in herbas, Luc. 6, 506; cf.: despumantes suas confusiones, i. e. expressing by foaming, Vulg. Judae, 13.
  2. II. Neutr., to cease foaming, to slacken, abate: ut nimius ille fervor despumet, Sen. Ira, 2, 20: cum aliquid lacrymarum affectus despumaverit, id. Ep. 99, 27: aetas, id. ib. 68 fin.