What is the meaning of "kufr" (disbelief) in the hadith: "The covenant between us and them is prayer, so whoever abandons it has disbelieved," knowing that abandoning prayer out of laziness, not denial, does not lead to apostasy from Islam?

Scholars are unanimous that whoever denies the obligation of prayer is a disbeliever, outside the fold of Islam, because he has denied something known by necessity to be part of the religion. As for one who abandons it due to laziness or negligence, scholars have differed regarding his disbelief. The majority of them are of the view that he is not a disbeliever, and they interpreted the hadiths that declare him a disbeliever as referring to minor disbelief, meant to deter people from abandoning prayer.