lapse

lapse [laps]

n.

[L lapsus, a fall: see LAP¹]

1. a slip of the tongue, pen, or memory; small error; fault

2.

a) a falling away from a moral standard; moral slip

b) a falling or slipping into a lower or worse condition, esp. for a short time

3. a falling away from one's belief or faith

4. a gliding or passing away, as of time or of anything continuously flowing

5. Rare a falling into ruin

6. Law

a) the termination or forfeiture of a right or privilege through disuse, through failure of some contingency, or through failure to meet stated obligations within a stated time

b) the failure of a bequest or devise to take effect because of the death of the person who was to receive it

vi.

lapsed, lapsing [L lapsare < labi: see LAP¹]

1. to slip or fall; esp., to slip into a specified state [to lapse into a coma]

2. to slip or deviate from a higher standard or fall into (former) erroneous ways; backslide

3. to stop practicing one's religion; lose or abandon one's faith

4. to pass away; elapse: said of time

5. to come to an end; stop [my subscription lapsed]

6. to become forfeit or void because of failure to pay the premium at the stipulated time: said of an insurance policy

7. Law to pass to another proprietor by reason of negligence or death

vt.

to make forfeit or void by not meeting standards

lapsable

adj.

lapsible

lapser

n.