名詞 lapse:

1. a mistake resulting from inattention
   同義詞：oversight
2. a break or intermission in the occurrence of something
3. a failure to maintain a higher state
   同義詞：backsliding, lapsing, relapse, relapsing, reversion, reverting

動詞 lapse:

1. pass into a specified state or condition
   同義詞：sink, pass
2. end, at least for a long time
3. drop to a lower level, as in one's morals or standards
   同義詞：backslide
4. go back to bad behavior
   同義詞：relapse, recidivate, regress, retrogress, fall back
5. let slip
6. pass by
   同義詞：elapse, pass, slip by, glide by, slip away, go by, slide by, go along

1. I started to eat the peas with my hands, but I don't think anyone noticed my little lapse.
   我開始用手吃豌豆，但我想沒有人注意到我的小錯誤。
2. After a lapse of several years he came back to see us.
   數(shù)年不見之后，他又回來看我們了。

lapse

v.（動詞）
lapsed,laps.ing,laps.es
v.intr.（不及物動詞）

To fall from a previous level or standard, as of accomplishment, quality, or conduct:
退步：從先前的水平或標(biāo)準(zhǔn)降下來，如技能、質(zhì)量或行為的退步：
例句：
lapse into bad habits; a team that lapsed into mediocrity halfway through the season.
沾染壞習(xí)慣；在一賽季中途變成表現(xiàn)平庸的球隊

To deviate from a prescribed or accepted way:
偏離正道：偏離已經(jīng)規(guī)定的或公認(rèn)的道路：
例句：
lapse into heresy.
陷入異端

To pass gradually or smoothly; slip:
滑落：逐漸地或平緩地通過；滑落：
例句：
lapse into reverie.
陷入冥想

To come to an end, especially gradually or temporarily:
終止：到達(dá)終點(diǎn)，尤指逐漸地或暫時地：
例句：
He realized that his attention had lapsed and he hadn`t heard the assignment.
他意識到他當(dāng)時走神了且沒聽到分派的任務(wù)

To be no longer valid or active; expire:
失效：失效的或不再有效的；滿期的：
例句：
She allowed her membership to lapse after the first year.
她聽任她的會員資格在第一年后失效

Law To pass to another through neglect or omission. Used of a right or privilege, a benefice, or an estate.
【法律】 轉(zhuǎn)歸：通過忽視或省略傳給另一個。用于權(quán)力或特權(quán)、封地或財產(chǎn)
To go by; elapse:
（時間等）消逝：度過；消逝：
例句：
Years had lapsed since we last met.
從我們上次相遇后，幾年時間已經(jīng)過去了

v.tr.（及物動詞）
To allow to lapse.
使失效
n.（名詞）
The act or an instance of lapsing, as:
退步，墮落：退步的行為或事例，如：
A usually minor or temporary failure; a slip:
失誤：通常很小或暫時的失??；疏忽：
例句：
a lapse of memory; a lapse in judgment.
記憶的錯誤；判斷上的錯誤

A deterioration or decline:
后退：退化或下降：
例句：
a lapse into barbarism.
倒退到野蠻狀態(tài)

A moral fall:
道德上的墮落：
例句：
a lapse from grace.
名譽(yù)掃地

A break in continuity; a pause:
間隔：連續(xù)性的間斷；中斷：
例句：
a lapse in the conversation.
談話中的間隔

A period of time; an interval:
一斷時間；間隔：
例句：
a lapse of several years between the two revolutions.
兩次革命間幾年時間的間隔

Law The termination of a right or privilege through disuse, neglect, or death.
【法律】 失效，終止：通過不用、忽視或死亡而達(dá)到的權(quán)力或特權(quán)的終止

來源：
Middle English lapsen [to deviate from the normal]
中古英語 lapsen [從正常偏離]
from laps [lapse of time, sin] from Old French [lapse of time] from Latin l3psus [from past participle of] l3bo [to lapse]
源自 laps [時間流逝，罪行] 源自 古法語 [時間流逝] 源自 拉丁語 l3psus [] 源自l3bo的過去分詞 [消逝，終止]
and from Latin l3ps3re [frequentative of] l3bo
并源自 拉丁語 l3ps3re [] l3bo的重復(fù)動詞
Latin l3bo l3ps- [to lapse]
拉丁語 l3bo l3ps- [消逝，終止]

【引伸】
laps.er
n.（名詞）