1. (

• backsliding ,
• lapse ,
• lapsing ,
• relapse ,
• relapsing ,
• reversion ,
• reverting

) a failure to maintain a higher state ;

1. (

• sink ,
• pass ,
• lapse ,

) pass into a specified state or condition; "He sank into nirvana" ;

2. (

• lapse ,

) end, at least for a long time; "The correspondence lapsed" ;

3. (

• lapse ,
• backslide

) drop to a lower level, as in one's morals or standards ;

4. (

• relapse ,
• lapse ,
• recidivate ,
• regress ,
• retrogress ,
• fall_back

) go back to bad behavior; "Those who recidivate are often minor criminals" ;

5. (

• lapse

) let slip; "He lapsed his membership" ;

6. (

• elapse ,
• lapse ,
• pass ,
• slip_by ,
• glide_by ,
• slip_away ,
• go_by ,
• slide_by ,
• go_along ,

) pass by; "three years elapsed" ;