Re·laps·ing, a. Marked by a relapse; falling back; tending to return to a former worse state.
 Relapsing fever Med., an acute, epidemic, contagious fever, which prevails also endemically in Ireland, Russia, and some other regions. It is marked by one or two remissions of the fever, by articular and muscular pains, and by the presence, during the paroxism of spiral bacterium (Spirochaete) in the blood. It is not usually fatal. Called also famine fever, and recurring fever.
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 Ty·phus n.  Med. A contagious continued fever lasting from two to three weeks, attended with great prostration and cerebral disorder, and marked by a copious eruption of red spots upon the body. Also called jail fever, famine fever, putrid fever, spottled fever, etc. See Jail fever, under Jail.
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 Fam·ine n.  General scarcity of food; dearth; a want of provisions; destitution. “Worn with famine.”
    There was a famine in the land.   --Gen. xxvi. 1.
 Famine fever Med., typhus fever.
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