lapse

a failure to maintain a higher state

a mistake resulting from inattention

a break or intermission in the occurrence of something

a lapse of three weeks between letters

go back to bad behavior

Those who recidivate are often minor criminals

drop to a lower level, as in one's morals or standards

end, at least for a long time

The correspondence lapsed

pass into a specified state or condition

He sank into nirvana

pass by

three years elapsed

let slip

He lapsed his membership