tĕpĕo, ēre, v. n. [Sanscr. tap, to be warm; tapas, heat; O. H. Germ. damf, warm], to be moderately warm, lukewarm, or tepid (very rare; not in Cic.; cf.: caleo, ferveo).
I Lit.: ubi (dolium) temperate tepebit, Cato R. R. 69, 2: carnes gallinaceorum ut tepebant avulsae, Plin. 29, 4, 25, § 78: ubi plus tepeant hiemes, Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 15: cor tepens, Plin. 30, 7, 20, § 62: tepentes aurae, Verg. G. 2, 330; Ov. M. 1, 107: sole tepente, id. ib. 3, 489: truncus tepens, Verg. A. 10, 555; cf.: tractu (caeli) tepente, Plin. 36, 25, 62, § 186.—
II Trop.
A To be warm or to glow with love , to be enamored : quo (Lycidā) calet juventus Nunc omnis et mox virgines tepebunt, Hor. C. 1, 4, 20: nescio quem sensi corde tepente deum, Ov. H. 11, 26.—
B To be lukewarm , cool , cold; to be without ardor , indifferent in love, etc.: saepe tepent alii juvenes: ego semper amavi, Ov. R. Am. 7; so (opp. amare), id. Am. 2, 2, 53: affectus tepet, * Quint. 6, 1, 44.