lapse (l ps)v. lapsed, laps·ing, laps·es v.intr.1. a. To fall from a previous level or standard, as of accomplishment, quality, or conduct: lapse into bad habits; a team that lapsed into mediocrity halfway through the season. b. To deviate from a prescribed or accepted way: lapse into heresy. c. To pass gradually or smoothly; slip: lapse into reverie. 2. a. To come to an end, especially gradually or temporarily: He realized that his attention had lapsed and he hadn't heard the assignment. b. To be no longer valid or active; expire: She allowed her membership to lapse after the first year. 3. Law To pass to another through neglect or omission. Used of a right or privilege, a benefice, or an estate. 4. To go by; elapse: Years had lapsed since we last met. n.1. The act or an instance of lapsing, as: a. A usually minor or temporary failure; a slip: a lapse of memory; a lapse in judgment. b. A deterioration or decline: a lapse into barbarism. c. A moral fall: a lapse from grace. 2. A break in continuity; a pause: a lapse in the conversation. 3. A period of time; an interval: a lapse of several years between the two revolutions. 4. Law The termination of a right or privilege through disuse, neglect, or death.
[Middle English lapsen, to deviate from the normal, from laps, lapse of time, sin (from Old French, lapse of time, from Latin l psus, from ) and from Latin l ps re, frequentative of l b , to lapse.]
laps er n. |
lapse Noun 1. a temporary drop in standard as a result of forgetfulness or lack of concentration 2. a moment or instance of bad behaviour, esp. by someone who is usually well-behaved 3. a period of time sufficient for a change to take place: the lapse between phone call and now 4. a gradual decline to a lower degree, condition, or state: its lapse from the tradition of Disraeli 5. Law the loss of some right by neglecting to exercise or renew it Verb [lapsing, lapsed] 1. to drop in standard or fail to maintain a standard 2. to decline gradually in status, condition, or degree 3. to allow to end or become no longer valid, esp. through negligence: a bid that lapsed last July 4. (usually foll. by into)to drift (into a condition): she appeared to lapse into a brief reverie 5. (often foll. by from)to turn away (from beliefs or standards) 6. (of time) to slip away [Latin lapsus error] lapsed adj
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Noun | 1. | lapse - a mistake resulting from inattentionerror, fault, mistake - a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention; "he made a bad mistake"; "she was quick to point out my errors"; "I could understand his English in spite of his grammatical faults" | | 2. | lapse - a break or intermission in the occurrence of something; "a lapse of three weeks between letters" | | 3. | lapse - a failure to maintain a higher statefailure - an act that fails; "his failure to pass the test" | | Verb | 1. | lapse - pass into a specified state or condition; "He sank into nirvana"move - go or proceed from one point to another; "the debate moved from family values to the economy" | | 2. | lapse - end, at least for a long time; "The correspondence lapsed"end, cease, terminate, finish, stop - have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical; "the bronchioles terminate in a capillary bed"; "Your rights stop where you infringe upon the rights of other"; "My property ends by the bushes"; "The symphony ends in a pianissimo" | | 3. | lapse - drop to a lower level, as in one's morals or standards | | 4. | lapse - go back to bad behavior; "Those who recidivate are often minor criminals" | | 5. | lapse - let slip; "He lapsed his membership" | | 6. | lapse - pass by; "three years elapsed"fell, vanish, fly - pass away rapidly; "Time flies like an arrow"; "Time fleeing beneath him" |
lapse
Translations lapse [læps] n (= fault) → error m; fallo; to lapse into bad habits → volver a las andadas; lapse of time → lapso, período;
lapse [læps] n → défaillance f; ( in behaviour) → écart m (de conduite)to lapse into bad habits → prendre de mauvaises habitudes;
lapse [læps] n (= bad behaviour) → Fehltritt m [ of memory etc] → Schwäche f [ of time] → Zeitspanne fto lapse into bad habits → in schlechte Gewohnheiten verfallen
lapse [læps] n → lapsus m inv; to lapse into bad habits → pigliare cattive abitudini;
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