n. [ From Recite. ] 1. The act of reciting; the repetition of the words of another, or of a document; rehearsal; as, the recital of testimony. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A telling in detail and due order of the particulars of anything, as of a law, an adventure, or a series of events; narration. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That which is recited; a story; a narration. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mus.) A vocal or instrumental performance by one person; -- distinguished from concert; as, a song recital; an organ, piano, or violin recital. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Law) The formal statement, or setting forth, of some matter of fact in any deed or writing in order to explain the reasons on which the transaction is founded; the statement of matter in pleading introductory to some positive allegation. Burn. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Account; rehearsal; recitation; narration; description; explanation; enumeration; detail; narrative. See Account. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. recitatio: cf. F. récitation. See Recite. ] 1. The act of reciting; rehearsal; repetition of words or sentences. Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The delivery before an audience of something committed to memory, especially as an elocutionary exhibition; also, that which is so delivered. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Colleges and Schools) The rehearsal of a lesson by pupils before their instructor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ It. recitativo, or F. récitatif. See Recite. ] (Mus.) A species of musical recitation in which the words are delivered in a manner resembling that of ordinary declamation; also, a piece of music intended for such recitation; -- opposed to melisma. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to recitation; intended for musical recitation or declamation; in the style or manner of recitative. -- Rec`i*ta*tive"ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

‖n. [ It. ] (Mus.) Recitative. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Recited; p. pr. & vb. n. Reciting. ] [ F. réciter, fr. L. recitare, recitatum; pref. re- re- + citare to call or name, to cite. See Cite. ] 1. To repeat, as something already prepared, written down, committed to memory, or the like; to deliver from a written or printed document, or from recollection; to rehearse; as, to recite the words of an author, or of a deed or covenant. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To tell over; to go over in particulars; to relate; to narrate; as, to recite past events; to recite the particulars of a voyage. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To rehearse, as a lesson to an instructor. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law) To state in or as a recital. See Recital, 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To rehearse; narrate; relate; recount; describe; recapitulate; detail; number; count. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To repeat, pronounce, or rehearse, as before an audience, something prepared or committed to memory; to rehearse a lesson learned. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A recital. [ Obs. ] Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who recites; also, a book of extracts for recitation. [ 1913 Webster ]