Both Uses of
lapse
in
The Giver
- ...for each lapse the discipline wand came again, escalating to a series of painful lashes that left marks on Asher's legs.
p. 55..6 *lapse = instance of not doing the right thing
- And now his lapses are very few.
p. 55..9lapses = bad behavior as a result of a lack of effort or diligence
Definition:
-
(lapse as in: a lapse in judgement) a change in behavior or state--usually undesired such as a temporary failureThe exact meaning of this sense of lapse is often subject to its context:
- basic example that simply indicates an undesired change in behavior -- "lapsed into alcoholism"
- example indicating that the change was short-term and due to a failure (often of effort or diligence) -- "a lapse in judgment"
- example indicating return to a previous undesired behavior or state -- "lapsed into her old bad habits"
- examples indicating a change in what was occurring where the change is not necessarily negative -- "There was a lapse in the conversation," or "She stopped talking as she lapsed into her own internal world."