elapse

American  

[ih-laps] / ɪˈlæps /

verb (used without object)

elapses, present (3rd person singular) elapsed, past participle, past elapsing present participle

1. (of time) to slip or pass by.

   Thirty minutes elapsed before the performance began.

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noun

1. the passage or termination of a period of time; lapse.

elapse British  

/ ɪˈlæps /

verb

1. (intr) (of time) to pass by

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unelapsed
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has elapsed
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have elapsed
  perfect
• have been elapsing
  perfect progressive
• has been elapsing
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are elapsing
  progressive
• am elapsing
  progressive 1st person singular
• elapsing
  participle
• is elapsing
  progressive 3rd person singular
• elapses
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had elapsed
  perfect
• had been elapsing
  perfect progressive
• was elapsing
  progressive singular
• were elapsing
  progressive plural
• elapsed
  participle
• elapsed
  simple

Future

• will elapse
  simple
• will have elapsed
  perfect
• will be elapsing
  progressive
• will have been elapsing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of elapse

1635–45; < Latin ēlapsus (past participle of ēlābī to slip away), equivalent to e- e- ¹ + lab- slip + -sus for -tus past participle suffix

Explanation

When time passes by, you say it elapses. Four years elapse while you are in high school. Nine months elapse while you are in the womb. If two weeks have elapsed between your tennis lessons, there has been a two-week lapse between sessions. The word elapse comes from the Latin word elabi which means "to slip away." Time is one of those things that really does tend to slip away, unless you're sitting through a lecture on the nature of time. Then, it might feel like years elapse when really it is just a few minutes.

Related Words

• expire
• pass by
• transpire