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relapsemore about relapse

relapse


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Relapse  \Re*lapse"\,  n.  [For  sense  2  cf  F.  relaps.  See 
  {Relapse},  v.] 
  1.  A  sliding  or  falling  back  especially  into  a  former  bad 
  state,  either  of  body  or  morals;  backsliding;  the  state  of 
  having  fallen  back 
 
  Alas!  from  what  high  hope  to  what  relapse  Unlooked 
  for  are  we  fallen!  --Milton. 
 
  2.  One  who  has  relapsed,  or  fallen  back  into  error;  a 
  backslider;  specifically,  one  who  after  recanting  error, 
  returns  to  it  again  [Obs.] 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Relapse  \Re*lapse"\  (r?-l?ps"),  v.  i.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Relapsed} 
  (-l?pst");  p.  pr  &  vb  n.  {Relapsing}.]  [L.  relapsus  p.  p. 
  of  relabi  to  slip  back  to  relapse;  pref.  re-  re-  +  labi  to 
  fall,  slip,  slide.  See  {Lapse}.] 
  1.  To  slip  or  slide  back  in  a  literal  sense  to  turn  back 
  [Obs.]  --Dryden. 
 
  2.  To  slide  or  turn  back  into  a  former  state  or  practice;  to 
  fall  back  from  some  condition  attained;  --  generally  in  a 
  bad  sense  as  from  a  state  of  convalescence  or  amended 
  condition;  as  to  relapse  into  a  stupor,  into  vice,  or 
  into  barbarism;  --  sometimes  in  a  good  sense  as  to 
  relapse  into  slumber  after  being  disturbed. 
 
  That  task  performed,  [preachers]  relapse  into 
  themselves.  --Cowper. 
 
  3.  (Theol.)  To  fall  from  Christian  faith  into  paganism, 
  heresy,  or  unbelief;  to  backslide. 
 
  They  enter  into  the  justified  state,  and  so  continue 
  all  along  unless  they  relapse.  --Waterland. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  relapse 
  n  :  a  failure  to  maintain  a  higher  state  [syn:  {backsliding},  {lapse}, 
  {lapsing},  {recidivism},  {relapsing},  {reversion},  {reverting}] 
  v  1:  deteriorate  in  health;  "he  relapsed"  [syn:  {get  worse}] 
  [ant:  {get  well}] 
  2:  go  back  to  bad  behavior;  "Those  who  recidivate  are  often 
  minor  criminals"  [syn:  {lapse},  {recidivate},  {regress},  {retrogress}, 
  {fall  back}] 




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