Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
rejoin (2)
rejoinder
rejuvenate
rejuvenesce
rekey
rekindle
rel.
relac
relapse
relapsing fever
relate
related
relation
relational
relational grammar
relationship
relative
Click to move down the list of words
Also available:

World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français

relapse

re·lapse [ ri láps ]


intransitive verb  (past and past participle re·lapsed, present participle re·laps·ing, 3rd person present singular re·laps·es)
Definition:
 
1. go into former state: to fall back into a former mood, state, or way of life, especially a bad or undesirable one, after coming out of it for a while

2. medicine become ill after apparent recovery: to become ill again after seeming to have made a recovery



noun  (plural re·laps·es)
Definition:
 
1. act of returning to previous condition: a return to a former mood, state, or way of life, especially a bad or undesirable one, after coming out of it for a while

2. medicine worsening of health: a sudden worsening in the condition of a patient who was ill but who seemed to have made a recovery from the illness

[15th century. < Latin relaps-, past participle of relabi "slip again" < labi "to slip"]

re·laps·er noun
Advertisement

© 2009 Microsoft