n. [ L. recessus, fr. recedere, recessum. See Recede. ] 1. A withdrawing or retiring; a moving back; retreat; as, the recess of the tides. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every degree of ignorance being so far a recess and degradation from rationality. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

My recess hath given them confidence that I may be conquered. Eikon Basilike. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being withdrawn; seclusion; privacy. [ 1913 Webster ]

In the recess of the jury they are to consider the evidence. Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

Good verse recess and solitude requires. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Remission or suspension of business or procedure; intermission, as of a legislative body, court, or school; as, the children were allowed to play in the school yard during recess. [ 1913 Webster ]

The recess of . . . Parliament lasted six weeks. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Part of a room formed by the receding of the wall, as an alcove, niche, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

A bed which stood in a deep recess. W. Irving. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A place of retirement, retreat, secrecy, or seclusion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Departure from this happy place, our sweet
Recess, and only consolation left. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Secret or abstruse part; as, the difficulties and recesses of science; the deepest recesses of the mind. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

7. (Bot. & Zool.) A sinus. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Recessed; p. pr. & vb. n. Recessing. ] To make a recess in; as, to recess a wall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ G. ] A decree of the imperial diet of the old German empire. Brande & C. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Having a recess or recesses; as, a recessed arch or wall. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Withdrawn; secluded. [ R. ] “Comfortably recessed from curious impertinents.” Miss Edgeworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

Recessed arch (Arch.), one of a series of arches constructed one within another so as to correspond with splayed jambs of a doorway, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. recessio, fr. recedere, recessum. See Recede. ] 1. The act of receding or withdrawing, as from a place, a claim, or a demand. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mercy may rejoice upon the recessions of justice. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Economics) A period during which economic activity, as measured by gross domestic product, declines for at least two quarters in a row in a specific country. If the decline is severe and long, such as greater than ten percent, it may be termed a depression. [ PJC ]

3. A procession in which people leave a ceremony, such as at a religious service. [ PJC ]

n. [ Pref. re- + cession. ] The act of ceding back; restoration; repeated cession; as, the recession of conquered territory to its former sovereign. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to recession or withdrawal. [ 1913 Webster ]

Recessional hymn, a hymn sung in a procession returning from the choir to the robing room; a recessional. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a hymn or other piece of music sung or played while a church congregation is leaving a service, or a choir is returning to the cloak room; a recessional hymn. [ PJC ]

a. 1. Going back; receding. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Genetics) Not appearing in the phenotype unless both alleles of the organism have the same trait; -- of genetic characteristics, or of the genes coding for such characteristics, in diploid organisms. Opposite of dominant; hemophilia is a recessive trait. [ PJC ]

n. (Genetics) A genetic trait determined by a recessive{ 2 } allele; a trait not appearing in the phenotype unless both chromosomes of the organism have the same allele; also, an allele which is recessive{ 2 }. [ PJC ]