noun , verb
■ noun / rɪˈses; NAmE ; ˈriːses/
1.
[ C , U ] a period of time during the year when the members of a parliament, committee, etc. do not meet
2.
[ C ] a short break in a trial in court :
The judge called a short recess.
3.
[ U ] ( NAmE ) = break
4.
[ C ] a part of a wall that is set further back than the rest of the wall, forming a space
SYN alcove :
a recess for books
5.
[ C , usually pl. ] the part of a place that is furthest from the light and hard to see or get to :
He stared into the dark recesses of the room.
( figurative )
The doubt was still there, in the deep recesses of her mind.
■ verb /rɪˈses/ [ often passive ]
1.
( NAmE ) to take or to order a recess :
[ vn ]
The hearing was recessed for the weekend.
[also v ]
2.
[ vn ] recess sth (in / into sth) to put sth in a position that is set back into a wall, etc. :
recessed shelves
••
WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (in the sense withdrawal, departure ): from Latin recessus , from recedere go back, from re- back + cedere go. The verb dates from the early 19th cent.