RELAPSING

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

(noun) a failure to maintain a higher state

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Verb

relapsing

present participle of relapse

Noun

relapsing (plural relapsings)

(archaic) A relapse.

Anagrams

• espringal, graplines, pearlings, presignal, rapelings, spanglier

Source: Wiktionary

Re*laps"ing, a.

Definition: Marked by a relapse; falling back; tending to return to a former worse state. Relapsing fever (Med.), an acute, epidemic, contagious fever, which prevails also endemically in Ireland, Russia, and some other regions. It is marked by one or two remissions of the fever, by articular and muscular pains, and by the presence, during the paroxism of spiral bacterium (Spirochæte) in the blood. It is not usually fatal. Called also famine fever, and recurring fever.

RELAPSE

Re*lapse" (r-lps"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Relapsed (-lpst"); p. pr. & vb. n. Relapsing.] Etym: [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 relaps 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.)

Definition: 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.

Re*lapse", n. Etym: [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 backlider; specifically, one who, after recanting error, returns to it again. [Obs.]

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition