Showing posts with label relapse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label relapse. Show all posts

Monday, February 10, 2014

relapse, relaps

Relapse or relapse means to become ill after getting partially better; or to slip back into some former state in general--
We hope he won't relapse; he seemed to be so much better.
The speaker waited for the crowd to relapse into silence.

Relapse is also a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning the state of being ill, after seeming to recover--
He's back in the hospital; he's had a relapse.
He was doing so well; this relapse has been a shock.

Relaps or relaps ( rhymes with relapse ) is the third person singular ( he, she , it ) form of "relap", meaning to pass by on a track for the second or third ( and so on )  time--
He has lapped the favorite; if he relaps him, he's sure to win.
If she relaps him in this race, she may set a new record.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"If that runner relaps him again, he is sure to relapse into depression."