A temporary failure of concentration, memory, or judgment. The lapse in his memory caused him to forget the meeting.
An interval or passage of time. There was a lapse of several years between the two events.
A decline or fall from a previous standard or state. The lapse in quality was noticeable in the latest product release.
The termination or expiration of a right, privilege, or policy through neglect or the passage of time. The lapse of the patent left the invention in the public domain.