4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Recess  \Re*cess"\,  n.  [L.  recessus  fr  recedere  recessum  See 
  {Recede}.] 
  1.  A  withdrawing  or  retiring;  a  moving  back  retreat;  as  the 
  recess  of  the  tides. 
 
  Every  degree  of  ignorance  being  so  far  a  recess  and 
  degradation  from  rationality.  --South. 
 
  My  recess  hath  given  them  confidence  that  I  may  be 
  conquered.  --Eikon 
  Basilike 
 
  2.  The  state  of  being  withdrawn;  seclusion;  privacy. 
 
  In  the  recess  of  the  jury  they  are  to  consider  the 
  evidence.  --Sir  M.  Hale. 
 
  Good  verse  recess  and  solitude  requires.  --Dryden. 
 
  3.  Remission  or  suspension  of  business  or  procedure; 
  intermission,  as  of  a  legislative  body,  court,  or  school. 
 
  The  recess  of  .  .  .  Parliament  lasted  six  weeks. 
  --Macaulay. 
 
  4.  Part  of  a  room  formed  by  the  receding  of  the  wall,  as  an 
  alcove,  niche,  etc 
 
  A  bed  which  stood  in  a  deep  recess.  --W.  Irving. 
 
  5.  A  place  of  retirement,  retreat,  secrecy,  or  seclusion. 
 
  Departure  from  his  happy  place  our  sweet  Recess, 
  and  only  consolation  left  --Milton. 
 
  6.  Secret  or  abstruse  part  as  the  difficulties  and  recesses 
  of  science.  --I.  Watts. 
 
  7.  (Bot.  &  Zo["o]l.)  A  sinus. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Recess  \Re*cess"\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Recessed};  p.  pr  &  vb 
  n.  {Recessing}.] 
  To  make  a  recess  in  as  to  recess  a  wall. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Recess  \Re*cess"\,  n.  [G.] 
  A  decree  of  the  imperial  diet  of  the  old  German  empire. 
  --Brande  &  C. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  recess 
  n  1:  a  state  of  abeyance  or  suspended  business  [syn:  {deferral}] 
  2:  a  small  concavity  [syn:  {recession},  {niche},  {corner}] 
  3:  a  small  arm  off  of  a  larger  body  of  water  (often  between 
  rocky  headlands)  [syn:  {cove},  {inlet}] 
  4:  a  space  set  back  or  indented  [syn:  {niche}] 
  5:  a  pause  from  doing  something  (as  work);  "we  took  a  10-minute 
  break";  "he  took  time  out  to  recuperate"  [syn:  {respite}, 
  {break},  {time  out}] 
  v  1:  put  into  a  recess;  "recess  lights" 
  2:  make  a  recess  in  "recess  the  piece  of  wood" 
  3:  close  at  the  end  of  a  session;  "The  court  adjourned"  [syn:  {adjourn}, 
  {break  up}] 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words