rĕ-lābor, lapsus, 3, v. dep. n., to slide or glide back; to sink or fall back (mostly poet.).
- I. Lit.: vix oculos tollens iterumque relabens, etc., sinking back upon the couch, Ov. M. 11, 619: (Orpheus) flexit amans oculos et protinus illa (Eurydice) relapsa est, id. ib. 10, 57: conscendere summas antennas prensoque rudente relabi, to slide down, id. ib. 3, 616: in sinus relabere nostros, return, id. H. 15, 95: retrahitque pedem simul unda relabens, flowing back, retreating, * Verg A. 10, 307; cf.: quis neget arduis Pronos relabi posse rivos Montibus, Hor. C. 1, 29, 11: flecte ratem, Theseu, versoque relabere vento, sail back, Ov. H. 10, 149: (mare) relabens terram naturae suae reddit, Curt. 6, 4, 19: (Tiberim) relabentem secuta est aedificiorum et hominum strages, Tac. A. 1, 76 init.: relabente aestu, id. ib. 2, 24.
- II. Trop., to sink or fall back; to relapse; to return: nunc in Aristippi furtim praecepta relabor, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 18: tunc mens et sonus Relapsus atque notus in vultus honor, id. Epod. 17, 18.