26984 words

lapse

11 definitions • 21 examples
1

Examples:

a lapse of concentration
lapse of The management's decision to ignore the safety warnings demonstrated a remarkable lapse of judgment.
memory lapse Her memory lapses have become more frequent in the last year.
2
a period of time passing between two things happening:

Examples:

a time lapse/a lapse of time
He turned up again after a lapse of two years.
3
to end legally or officially by not being continued or made effective for a longer period:

Examples:

The association needs to win back former members who have allowed their subscriptions to lapse.
His health insurance policy lapsed for nonpayment of premiums.
4

Examples:

Since his illness, he finds his memory and concentration lapse occasionally.
The conversation lapsed for a moment.
5

Examples:

He is a reformed drinker who sometimes lapses.
She seemed to be getting better, then she would lapse again.
6
a failure to do something that happens as a particular event at a particular time:

Examples:

a memory lapse
She had a momentary lapse in concentration and lost the game.
7
a period of time after an event or between two events:

Examples:

Owing to the lapse of time since the crimes, none of the original witnesses could be found.
8
to end something, either intentionally or accidentally, that might be continued or that should continue:

Examples:

I must have let my subscription lapse, because I haven’t received any issues of the magazine in months.
9
if something such as an agreement lapses, it ends legally or officially because nothing has been done to make it continue, for example because payments are not made:

Examples:

The agreement ran for three years, after which they decided to allow it to lapse.
Many uninsured drivers aren't even aware that their insurance has lapsed.
10
a mistake that is made because of a temporary lack of attention to something:

Examples:

lapse in sth There had been a lapse in security at the company, and the personal details of hundreds of customers had been made public.
a security lapse
11
a period of time that passes between two things happening:

Examples:

The company will resume paying a quarterly dividend on common shares, following a two-year lapse.
a time lapse

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