%lapse%

n. 1. A falling together suddenly, as of the sides of a hollow vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A sudden and complete failure; an utter failure of any kind; a breakdown. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Med.) Extreme depression or sudden failing of all the vital powers, as the result of disease, injury, or nervous disturbance. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Delapsed p. pr. & vb. n. Delapsing. ] [ L. delapsus, p. p. of delabi to fall down; de- + labi to fall or side. ] To pass down by inheritance; to lapse. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Which Anne derived alone the right, before all other,
Of the delapsed crown from Philip. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Elapsed p. pr. & vb. n. Elapsing. ] [ L. elapsus, p. p. of elabi to glide away; e out + labi to fall, slide. See Lapse. ] To slip or glide away; to pass away silently, as time; -- used chiefly in reference to time. [ 1913 Webster ]

Eight days elapsed; at length a pilgrim came. Hoole. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Illapsed p. pr. & vb. n. Illapsing. ] [ L. illapsus, p. p. of illabi; pref. il- in + labi to fall, slide. ] To fall or glide; to pass; -- usually followed by into. Cheyne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. illapsus. See Illapse, v. i. ] A gliding in; an immisson or entrance of one thing into another; also, a sudden descent or attack. Akenside. [ 1913 Webster ]

They sit silent . . . waiting for an illapse of the spirit. Jeffrey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. inter- + lapse: cf. L. interlabi, interlapsus, to fall, slide, or flow, between. ] The lapse or interval of time between two events. [ R. ] Harvey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. lapsus, fr. labi, p. p. lapsus, to slide, to fall: cf. F. laps. See Sleep. ] 1. A gliding, slipping, or gradual falling; an unobserved or imperceptible progress or passing away, ; -- restricted usually to immaterial things, or to figurative uses. [ 1913 Webster ]

The lapse to indolence is soft and imperceptible. Rambler. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bacon was content to wait the lapse of long centuries for his expected revenue of fame. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A slip; an error; a fault; a failing in duty; a slight deviation from truth or rectitude. [ 1913 Webster ]

To guard against those lapses and failings to which our infirmities daily expose us. Rogers. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) The termination of a right or privilege through neglect to exercise it within the limited time, or through failure of some contingency; hence, the devolution of a right or privilege. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Theol.) A fall or apostasy. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Lapsed p. pr. & vb. n. Lapsing. ] 1. To pass slowly and smoothly downward, backward, or away; to slip downward, backward, or away; to glide; -- mostly restricted to figurative uses. [ 1913 Webster ]

A tendency to lapse into the barbarity of those northern nations from whom we are descended. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

Homer, in his characters of Vulcan and Thersites, has lapsed into the burlesque character. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To slide or slip in moral conduct; to fail in duty; to fall from virtue; to deviate from rectitude; to commit a fault by inadvertence or mistake. [ 1913 Webster ]

To lapse in fullness
Is sorer than to lie for need. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) (a) To fall or pass from one proprietor to another, or from the original destination, by the omission, negligence, or failure of some one, as a patron, a legatee, etc. (b) To become ineffectual or void; to fall. [ 1913 Webster ]

If the archbishop shall not fill it up within six months ensuing, it lapses to the king. Ayliffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To let slip; to permit to devolve on another; to allow to pass. [ 1913 Webster ]

An appeal may be deserted by the appellant's lapsing the term of law. Ayliffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To surprise in a fault or error; hence, to surprise or catch, as an offender. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

For which, if be lapsed in this place,
I shall pay dear. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Having slipped downward, backward, or away; having lost position, privilege, etc., by neglect; -- restricted to figurative uses. [ 1913 Webster ]

Once more I will renew
His lapsed powers, though forfeit. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Ineffectual, void, or forfeited; as, a lapsed policy of insurance; a lapsed legacy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lapsed devise,
Lapsed legacy (Law), a devise, or legacy, which fails to take effect in consequence of the death of the devisee, or legatee, before that of the testator, or for other cause. Wharton (Law Dict.). [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. praeterlapsus, p. p. of praeterlabi to glide by. See Preter-, Lapse. ] Past; as, preterlapsed ages. [ R. ] Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. prolapsus, fr. prolapsus, p. p. of prolabi to fall forward; pro forward + labi to glide, fall. ] (Med.) The falling down of a part through the orifice with which it is naturally connected, especially of the uterus or the rectum. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To fall down or out; to protrude. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Relapsed p. pr. & vb. n. Relapsing. ] [ L. relapsus, p. p. of relabi to slip back, to relapse; pref. re- re- + labi to fall, slip, slide. See Lapse. ] 1. To slip or slide back, in a literal sense; to turn back. [ Obs. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To slide or turn back into a former state or practice; to fall back from some condition attained; -- generally in a bad sense, as from a state of convalescence or amended condition; as, to relapse into a stupor, into vice, or into barbarism; -- sometimes in a good sense; as, to relapse into slumber after being disturbed. [ 1913 Webster ]

That task performed, [ preachers ] relapse into themselves. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Theol.) To fall from Christian faith into paganism, heresy, or unbelief; to backslide. [ 1913 Webster ]

They enter into the justified state, and so continue all along, unless they relapse. Waterland. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ For sense 2 cf. F. relaps. See Relapse, v. ] 1. A sliding or falling back, especially into a former bad state, either of body or morals; backsliding; the state of having fallen back. [ 1913 Webster ]

Alas! from what high hope to what relapse
Unlooked for are we fallen! Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who has relapsed, or fallen back, into error; a backslider; specifically, one who, after recanting error, returns to it again. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]