View synonyms for lapse

lapse

[laps]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

an accidental or temporary decline or deviation from an expected or accepted condition or state; a temporary falling or slipping from a previous standard.
a lapse of justice.
a slip or error, often of a trivial sort; failure.
a lapse of memory.
an interval or passage of time; elapsed period.
a lapse of ten minutes before the program resumed.
a moral fall, as from rectitude or virtue.
a fall or decline to a lower grade, condition, or degree; descent; regression.
a lapse into savagery.
the act of falling, slipping, sliding, etc., slowly or by degrees.
a falling into disuse.
Insurance., discontinuance of coverage resulting from nonpayment of a premium; termination of a policy.
Law., the termination of a right or privilege through neglect to exercise it or through failure of some contingency.
Meteorology., lapse rate.
Archaic., a gentle, downward flow, as of water.

verb (used without object)

lapsed, lapsing

to fall or deviate from a previous standard; fail to maintain a normative level.
Toward the end of the book the author lapsed into bad prose.
to come to an end; stop.
We let our subscription to that magazine lapse.
to fall, slip, or sink; subside.
to lapse into silence.
to fall into disuse.
The custom lapsed after a period of time.
to deviate or abandon principles, beliefs, etc..
to lapse into heresy.
to fall spiritually, as an apostate.
to lapse from grace.
to pass away, as time; elapse.
Law., to become void, as a legacy to someone who dies before the testator.
to cease being in force; terminate.
Your insurance policy will lapse after 30 days.

lapse

/ læps /

noun

a drop in standard of an isolated or temporary nature
a lapse of justice
a break in occurrence, usage, etc
a lapse of five weeks between letters
a gradual decline or a drop to a lower degree, condition, or state
a lapse from high office
a moral fall
law the termination of some right, interest, or privilege, as by neglecting to exercise it or through failure of some contingency
insurance the termination of coverage following a failure to pay the premiums

verb

to drop in standard or fail to maintain a norm
to decline gradually or fall in status, condition, etc
to be discontinued, esp through negligence or other failure
(usually foll by into) to drift or slide (into a condition)
to lapse into sleep
(often foll by from) to turn away (from beliefs or norms)
law (of a devise or bequest) to become void, as on the beneficiary's predeceasing the testator
(of time) to slip away

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Other Word Forms

lapser noun
unlapsing adjective
lapsed adjective
lapsable adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of lapse¹

1520–30; < Latin lāpsus an error, slipping, failing, equivalent to lāb ( ī ) to slide, slip, fall, make a mistake + -sus, for -tus suffix of v. action

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Word History and Origins

Origin of lapse¹

C15: from Latin lāpsus error, from lābī to glide

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The picketing machinists benefited from a strike fund while they were off the job but were under increasing pressure as healthcare coverage lapsed for some families.

Related Words

Lapsang Souchong lapsed

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