From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishrelapsere‧lapse1 /rɪˈlæps/ verb [intransitive] 1 MIto become ill again after you have seemed to improverelapse into We were afraid he might relapse into a coma.2 BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONSto start to behave badly againrelapse into Clara soon relapsed into her old ways.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
relapse• On vacation at home, he relapsed and had to return to hospital for further tests.• I relapsed into a seeming normality.• He was also beginning to relapse into invective and his voice was rising.• If not, we relapse into scepticism.• The last thing I wanted was to relapse into the role of a patronizing objective observer.• Unfortunately, she occasionally relapses, requiring short-term hospitalization.• It should be remembered that one can not relapse unless one has first been in recovery.• Most drug abusers relapse within a year.relapsere‧lapse2 /rɪˈlæps $ ˈriːlæps/ noun [countable, uncountable] when someone becomes ill again after having seemed to improve She had a relapse and died soon after.Examples from the Corpus
relapse• Relapses are common among some recovering alcoholics.• He could always have a relapse later if necessary.• And half the patients who discontinue medication suffer a relapse within six months, he said.• These herbal remedies become less effective if the patient suffers a relapse.• Neither recovery nor relapse is a straight line.• For a thorough discussion of relapse prevention, see chapter 11.• Patients taking sulphasalazine at the time of onset of relapse continued on this drug.• What are the signs of relapse?• A sudden relapse forced Peggy to stay in the hospital until Monday.• As a group, the relapse rate in adults is greater than in children.• When the relapse came, she let it go too long.• Grandad had an unexpected relapse and died within a week.had ... relapse• But neighbors say she had gone through drug rehabilitation before and had relapsed in recent weeks.From Longman Business Dictionaryrelapsere‧lapse /rɪˈlæps/ verb [intransitive] to start to get worse again after things had seemed to improverelapse intoThe U.S., after a brief recovery mid-year, is relapsing into a second slump. —relapse /rɪˈlæpsˈriːlæps/ noun [singular]Industrial output rose, lessening fears of a relapse.→ See Verb tableOrigin relapse (1400-1500) Latin past participle of relabi “to slide back” 