If someone is lapsed, they used to hold a belief — very often a religion — and they do not hold it in the same living way now. A lapsed Catholic grew up in the Church, or once practised, and has drifted away. They may still tick “Catholic” on a form; they may not.

If someone is lapsed,如果一個人是lapsed， they used to hold a belief — very often a religion —代表他們曾經有過某種信念——通常是宗教信仰—— and they do not hold it in the same living way now.而現在不再用同樣鮮活的方式抱持著它。 A lapsed Catholic grew up in the Church, or once practised,a lapsed Catholic是指從小在教會裡長大，或曾經有實踐信仰的人， and has drifted away.後來漸漸疏遠了。 They may still tick “Catholic” on a form;他們可能在表格上還是勾選「天主教」； they may not.也可能不會。

The word is a little formal, and a little kind: it does not shout that the person quit; it says the old tie has slipped.

The word is a little formal, and a little kind:這個字有點正式，也帶著一點體貼： it does not shout that the person quit;它不會直白地說這個人「放棄了」； it says the old tie has slipped.而是說那條舊的連結悄悄鬆脫了。

People also use lapsed for something that used to be in force and no longer is — a lapsed membership, a lapsed insurance policy — the same picture of a thing that was in place and then fell away. About people, though, the religious sense is the one you will meet first.

People also use lapsed for something that used to be in force and no longer is大家也會用lapsed來形容一個原本有效、現在不再有效的東西， — a lapsed membership, a lapsed insurance policy ———像是lapsed membership（過期失效的會員資格）、lapsed insurance policy（失效的保單）—— the same picture of a thing that was in place and then fell away.同樣是一種「原本在，後來消失了」的畫面。 About people, though, the religious sense is the one you will meet first.不過用在人身上時，你最先會遇到的還是宗教這個意思。

It is not the same as “lost,” as if faith were a set of keys. The belief has faded, or been let go.

It is not the same as “lost,” as if faith were a set of keys.這跟「lost（弄丟了）」不一樣，好像信仰是一串鑰匙似的。 The belief has faded, or been let go.而是那份信念漸漸淡去，或被放下了。