To pass or go by, especially when referring to the passage of time.
From Latin 'elapsus,' the past participle of 'elapti,' meaning to slip away or pass by, derived from 'e-' (out) and 'labi' (to slip), which also gives us 'lapse' and 'prolapse.'
The word 'elapse' and 'lapse' come from the same root meaning 'to slip,' but 'elapse' specifically means time slipping away completely—it's almost always used with time, never with people or objects the way 'lapse' can be.
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