recess

A short break from work or lessons, especially when schoolchildren can eat or play.

• We played outside at recess.
• The court took a short recess for lunch.
• When does the class have recess?

How to use it: at recess (The children played football at recess.)

Similar words: break, interval

Common phrases: at recess, school recess, lunch recess

A small space set back into a wall or another surface.

• The shelf fits into this recess.
• They hid the box in a dark recess beside the door.
• The window sits in a deep recess.

How to use it: a recess in something (A lamp stood in a recess in the wall.)

Similar words: alcove, niche

Common phrases: wall recess, deep recess, recess in something, shallow recess

A hidden, distant, or little-known place or part of something.

• Fear hid in the recesses of his mind.
• She explored the darkest recesses of the human soul.
• Old memories stirred in the deep recesses of his heart.

How to use it: the recesses of something (The memory remained in the recesses of her mind.)

Similar words: depths

Common phrases: recess of something, deepest recess, dark recess

To pause an official meeting or its activities for a period of time.

• The court will recess for lunch.
• The judge recessed the hearing until morning.
• After three hours, the committee voted to recess.

How to use it: recess for a period (The court recessed for thirty minutes.); recess until a time (The committee recessed until Monday.)

Similar words: adjourn, pause

Opposites: resume

Common phrases: recess for lunch, recess until tomorrow, recess the hearing

To place something in a hollow area so it does not stick out from the surrounding surface.

• They recessed the lights into the ceiling.
• The socket was recessed in the wall.
• We can recess the cabinet so it takes up less space.

How to use it: recess something into something (They recessed the shelves into the wall.); be recessed in something (The lights are recessed in the ceiling.)

Similar words: inset, set back

Common phrases: recess into something, recess a light, recess in something

To cut or form a hollow area in a surface.

• The builder recessed the wall.
• They recessed the wooden panel to fit the lock.
• Can you recess this surface for the handle?

How to use it: recess something for something (Recess the frame for the hinge.)

Similar words: hollow out, indent

Common phrases: recess a wall, recess the panel, recess for something