Lapse - Definition

n 1: a mistake resulting from inattention [syn: oversight,
lapse]
2: a break or intermission in the occurrence of something; "a
lapse of three weeks between letters"
3: a failure to maintain a higher state [syn: backsliding,
lapse, lapsing, relapse, relapsing, reversion,
reverting]
v 1: pass into a specified state or condition; "He sank into
nirvana" [syn: sink, pass, lapse]
2: end, at least for a long time; "The correspondence lapsed"
3: drop to a lower level, as in one's morals or standards [syn:
lapse, backslide]
4: go back to bad behavior; "Those who recidivate are often
minor criminals" [syn: relapse, lapse, recidivate,
regress, retrogress, fall back]
5: let slip; "He lapsed his membership"
6: pass by; "three years elapsed" [syn: elapse, lapse,
pass, slip by, glide by, slip away, go by, slide
by, go along]