In 1511, leaders in Mecca believed coffee stimulated radical thinking and outlawed the drink. In 1524, the leaders overturned that order, and people could drink coffee again.
RECESS
respite, recess, break, time out
(noun) a pause from doing something (as work); “we took a 10-minute break”; “he took time out to recuperate”
recess, niche
(noun) an enclosure that is set back or indented
inlet, recess
(noun) an arm off of a larger body of water (often between rocky headlands)
recess, recession, niche, corner
(noun) a small concavity
deferral, recess
(noun) a state of abeyance or suspended business
adjourn, recess, break up
(verb) close at the end of a session; “The court adjourned”
recess
(verb) make a recess in; “recess the piece of wood”
recess
(verb) put into a recess; “recess lights”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
recess (countable and uncountable, plural recesses)
(countable or uncountable) A break, pause or vacation.
An inset, hole, space or opening.
(US, Australia, Canada) A time of play during the school day, usually on a playground; (UK) break, playtime.
A decree of the imperial diet of the old German empire.
(archaic) A withdrawing or retiring; a moving back; retreat.
(archaic) The state of being withdrawn; seclusion; privacy.
(archaic) A place of retirement, retreat, secrecy, or seclusion.
A secret or abstruse part.
(botany, zoology) A sinus.
Synonyms
• (a break): break, day off, pause, vacation; hiatus, moratorium; see also vacation or pause
Verb
recess (third-person singular simple present recesses, present participle recessing, simple past and past participle recessed)
To inset into something, or to recede.
(intransitive) To take or declare a break.
(transitive, informal) To appoint, with a recess appointment.
To make a recess in.
Adjective
recess
(obsolete, rare) Remote, distant (in time or place).
Anagrams
• cesser, screes
Source: Wiktionary
Re*cess", n. Etym: [L. recessus, fr. recedere, recessum. See Recede.]
1. A withdrawing or retiring; a moving back; retreat; as, the recess of the tides. Every degree of ignorance being so far a recess and degradation from rationality. South. My recess hath given them confidence that I may be conquered. Eikon Basilike.
2. The state of being withdrawn; seclusion; privacy. In the recess of the jury they are to consider the evidence. Sir M. Hale. Good verse recess and solitude requires. Dryden.
3. Remission or suspension of business or procedure; intermission, as of a legislative body, court, or school. The recess of . . . Parliament lasted six weeks. Macaulay.
4. Part of a room formed by the receding of the wall, as an alcove, niche, etc. A bed which stood in a deep recess. W. Irving.
5. A place of retirement, retreat, secrecy, or seclusion. Departure from his happy place, our sweet Recess, and only consolation left. Milton.
6. Secret or abstruse part; as, the difficulties and recesses of science. I. Watts.
7. (Bot. & Zoöl.)
Definition: A sinus.
Re*cess", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Recessed; p. pr. & vb. n. Recessing.]
Definition: To make a recess in; as, to recess a wall.
Re*cess", n. Etym: [G.]
Definition: A decree of the imperial diet of the old German empire. Brande & C.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
31 March 2025
IMPROVISED
(adjective) done or made using whatever is available; “crossed the river on improvised bridges”; “the survivors used jury-rigged fishing gear”; “the rock served as a makeshift hammer”
Coffee Trivia
