recess

Everyday

1. In the USA, Canada and Australia, the break between lessons when children play outside; in the UK it is called "break" or "playtime". tree →
2. A time when a parliament, court or other group stops working for a while. tree →
3. A small space set back into a wall, like an alcove. tree →

In the lessons

In school life, recess is when pupils eat a snack and play; teachers watch over the playground. In everyday life "a recess in the wall" can hold shelves. Phrases: at recess, during recess, recess duty, in recess.

Examples

• We play tag at recess. tree →
• Recess is twenty minutes long. tree →
• It rained, so we had indoor recess. tree →
• Put your snack in your bag for recess. tree →
• The bookshelf fits into the recess by the fireplace. tree →
• Parliament is in recess for the summer. tree →
• Who is on recess duty today? tree →
• But there was one recess in the wall, no larger than a bird-cage, which was the private apartment of Tinker Bell. tree →

Note

Usually uncountable for the school break: "at recess", "during recess". Plural "recesses" for spaces in a wall. Stress: "REE-sess" or "ri-SESS". In maths problems, recess times may be used for time sums: if recess starts at 10:30 and lasts 20 minutes, it ends at 10:50.

In Jewish tradition

It means a deep hidden place, like the depths of the sea.

Interpretation. God asks Job if he has walked in the sea's depths. This shows that only God knows the hidden places of creation.

Examples

• Or hast thou walked in the recesses of the deep? (Writings JOB.38.16, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Usually uncountable for the school break: "at recess", "during recess". Plural "recesses" for spaces in a wall. Stress: "REE-sess" or "ri-SESS". In maths problems, recess times may be used for time sums: if recess starts at 10:30 and lasts 20 minutes, it ends at 10:50.