1. A brief break in judicial proceedings (the court granted a fifteen-minute recess so the attorney and plaintiff could confer). Cf. CONTINUANCE(3). [Cases: Criminal Law 649; Trial 26. C.J.S. Criminal Law § 1155; Trial§ 113.]
2. Parliamentary law. A motion that suspends but does not end a meeting, and that usu. provides for resumption of the meeting (the meeting had a 15-minute recess). • The motion to recess, which merely suspends the meeting, differs from the motion to adjourn, which ends the meeting. Cf. ADJOURN. [Cases: United States 18. C.J.S. United States §§ 29, 31.]
3. Parliamentary law. The interval between such a motion’s adoption and the meeting’s reconvening ( Congress took a monthlong recess). — recess (ri-ses), vb.
