I. lapse 1 /læps/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: lapsus , from labi 'to slip' ]
1 . a short period of time during which you fail to do something well or properly, often caused by not being careful
momentary/temporary/occasional etc lapse
Despite the occasional lapse, this was a fine performance by the young saxophonist.
A defensive lapse by Keown allowed Tottenham to score.
lapse in
lapses in security
lapse of
A single lapse of concentration cost Sampras the game.
a lapse of judgement
After taking the drug, several patients suffered memory lapses (=when you cannot remember something for a short time) .
2 . a failure to do something you should do, especially to behave correctly:
He forgot to offer Darren a drink, but Marie did not appear to notice the lapse.
3 . [usually singular] a period of time between two events:
The usual time lapse between request and delivery is two days.
lapse of
a lapse of about ten seconds
II. lapse 2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
1 . to gradually come to an end or to stop for a period of time:
The conversation lapsed.
2 . especially British English if a contract, agreement etc lapses, it comes to an end, usually because an agreed time limit has passed:
Your booking will automatically lapse unless you confirm it.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say that a contract or agreement runs out rather than lapses :
▪
His club membership had run out.
3 . to stop believing in or following a religion:
those people who have lapsed from the practice of their religion
4 . formal if a period of time lapses, it passes:
Many years had lapsed since her first visit to Wexford.
lapse into something phrasal verb
1 . lapse into unconsciousness/silence/sleep etc to go into a quiet or less active state:
He lapsed into a coma and died two days later.
Alison lapsed into puzzled silence.
2 . to begin to behave or speak in a way that you did before:
She lapsed back into her old ways.
Occasionally he lapsed into his native German.
3 . to get into a worse state or become worse:
Following his death, the Empire lapsed into chaos.
His poetry often lapses into sentimentality.