If a period of time elapses, that time goes by. Three days elapsed means three days passed.

If a period of time elapses如果一段時間elapse了, that time goes by就是那段時間過去了. Three days elapsed三天elapse了 means意思是 three days passed三天過去了.

The subject is almost always a length of time — seconds, weeks, years — not a person and not a thing you hold. You cannot say I elapsed two hours; you spent them, or they elapsed.

The subject主詞幾乎總是 is almost always a length of time一段時間長度 — seconds, weeks, years秒、週、年 — not a person and not a thing you hold不是人，也不是你手上拿的東西. You cannot say你不能說 I elapsed two hoursI elapsed two hours這種話; you spent them你花掉了它們, or they elapsed或它們自己elapse了.

It is somewhat formal and more at home in writing, news, and exam English than in chat. In speech people usually say pass or go by.

It is somewhat formal它算是有點正式, and more at home in writing, news, and exam English更常出現在寫作、新聞和考試英文裡 than in chat而不是聊天裡. In speech口語裡 people usually say大家通常會說 pass or go bypass或go by.

You often meet it when nothing much happens on the surface, but the clock still moves: Several months elapsed before the results came back.

You often meet it你常會在這種情況遇到它 when nothing much happens on the surface表面上沒發生什麼事, but the clock still moves但時鐘還是在走: Several months elapsed好幾個月elapse了 before the results came back結果才出來.

It does not mean to slip out of a room or to make a mistake; those are other cousins of the old Latin idea of slipping.

It does not mean它不是指 to slip out of a room偷偷溜出房間, or to make a mistake或犯錯; those are other cousins這些是其他的親戚字 of the old Latin idea of slipping源自同一個拉丁文「滑」的概念.