recess

1 a hollowed-out space in a wall the curator placed the large vase in one of the recesses of the gallery wall Synonyms alcove, nook, nicheRelated Words corner, cranny, cubbyhole; cubicle; dent, embrasure, indent, indentation, indenture; ambry, housing, shrine

2 a period during which the usual routine of school or work is suspended the couple goes to Florida every January for a month-long recess from the rigors of winter Synonyms break, holiday [chiefly British], hols [British], leave, vacationRelated Words sabbatical; furlough, liberty; breather, relaxation, respite, rest; interim, intermission, interval; feast, holy day, legal holiday; idling, loafing, lounging, slacking

3 a momentary halt in an activity the judge called for a brief recess so that the witness could regain her composure Synonyms break, breath, breather, interruption, lull, pauseRelated Words time-out; interim, interlude, intermission, interval, respite, rest; cessation, discontinuance, downtime, ending, expiration, finishing, hitch, lapse, stoppage, stopping, termination; abeyance, moratorium, surcease, suspension; discontinuity, gap, hiatusNear Antonyms continuation, endurance, persistence, progress, progression; extension, prolongation

4 a sunken area forming a separate space decided to camp in a sandy recess where the beach met the forest Synonyms cavity, concavity, dent, depression, dint, hollow, indentation, indenture, pit, holeRelated Words burrow, cave, cavern, ditch, excavation, furrow, groove, gutter, trench, trough; basin, bowl, valley; alcove, cleft, niche, nook, opening, hole, socket; alveolus, dimple, gouge, impression, imprint, notch, pocket; borehole, chuckhole, crater, posthole, pothole, sinkhole, wallow, water hole, well; abyss, chasm, gulf, vacuity, vacuum, voidNear Antonyms hill, mound, rise; bump, bunch, hump, lump, pimple, swell, swelling, tumorAntonyms bulge, camber, convexity, jut, projection, protrusion, protuberance

to bring to a formal close for a period of time the judge recessed the court for lunch Synonyms prorogate, prorogue, adjourn, suspendRelated Words break off, disband, discontinue, disperse, intermit, interrupt; defer, hold off, postpone, put off, reserve, shelve, table; dissolve, end, halt, stop, terminate; break up, close, conclude, wind up, wrap up; abort, call, call off, drop, recall, repeal, rescind, revoke; abrogate, annul, invalidate, negate, nullify, quash, voidNear Antonyms inaugurate, launch, open; carry on, continue, draw out, extend, proceed, prolong; renew, reopen, resume; assemble, call, convene, convoke, muster, rally, summon