The word "elapse" is spelled with four letters, "E-L-A-P-S-E". The IPA phonetic transcription for "elapse" is /ɪˈlæps/, where the stress is on the second syllable. The "e" is pronounced as "ih" as in "sit", "l" as "el" as in "bottle", "a" as "æ" as in "cat", "p" as "p" as in "pet", and "s" as "s" as in "sit". The word "elapse" means to pass or go by, especially of time.
Elapse is a verb that describes the passage or passage of time. It refers to the amount of time that has passed or the act of the time passing by. When something elapses, it means that a particular period or interval of time has gone by or come to an end.
The term is commonly used to express the duration or duration of an event, process, or activity. For example, when an hour elapses, it means that 60 minutes have passed since the start of that hour. Similarly, if you say that a deadline has elapsed, it implies that the specified time limit has been exceeded or has run out.
Additionally, elapse also implies the progression or flow of time. It suggests the continuous movement of seconds, minutes, hours, days, or years as they unfold. It signifies the natural course of time that moves forward without stopping. For instance, we often describe the elapse of time when discussing the experience of watching a captivating movie or participating in an engaging event, where time seems to pass quickly.
In summary, elapse refers to the passing or expiration of a specific period of time, the progression or flow of time, and the measure of time that has gone by since a given point. It encompasses both the concept of time's passage and the duration of an event or process.
To pass away silently; to slide or slip away, applied to time.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "elapse" originated from the Latin word "elapsus", which is the past participle of the verb "elabi". "Elabi" is a combination of the prefix "e-" meaning "out" and "labi" meaning "to glide, slip away". So, the etymology of the word "elapse" suggests a notion of time slipping away or passing by.