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Notch vs Recess - What's the difference?

notch | recess |

As nouns the difference between notch and recess

is that notch is a V-shaped cut while recess is a break, pause or vacation.

As verbs the difference between notch and recess

is that notch is to cut a notch in (something) while recess is to inset into something, or to recede.

As an adjective recess is

remote, distant (in time or place).

notch

English

Noun

(es)
  • A V-shaped cut.
  • Such a cut, used for keeping a record
    • ''The notches in that tribe's warrior axe handles stand for killed enemies.
  • An indentation.
  • A mountain pass; a defile
  • (informal) A level or degree.
    • ''This car is a notch better than the other.
  • * 2014 , Daniel Taylor, " World Cup 2014: Uruguay sink England as Suárez makes his mark," guardian.co.uk , 20 June:
    • A better team might also have done more to expose Uruguay’s occasionally brittle defence, but England’s speed of thought and movement in their attacking positions was a good notch or two down from the Italy game.

    Derived terms

    * notch on one's bedpost, notch on the bedpost * notchback * notchboard * top notch

    Verb

    (es)
  • To cut a notch in (something).
  • To record (a score or similar) by making notches on something.
    • The tribe's hunters notch their kills by notches on each's axe's handle.
  • To join by means of notches.
  • To achieve (something).
    • The team notched a pair of shutout wins on Sunday.
  • *

    • Derived terms

    * notcher * notchy

    recess

    English

    Noun

    (es)
  • (countable, or, uncountable) A break, pause or vacation.
    • Spring recess offers a good chance to travel.
  • * Macaulay
    • The recess of Parliament lasted six weeks.
  • An inset, hole, space or opening.
    • Put a generous recess behind the handle for finger space.
  • * Washington Irving
    • a bed which stood in a deep recess
  • (US) A time of play, usually, on a playground.
    • Students who do not listen in class will not play outside during recess .
  • A decree of the imperial diet of the old German empire.
  • (archaic) A withdrawing or retiring; a moving back; retreat.
    • the recess of the tides
  • * South
    • every degree of ignorance being so far a recess and degradation from rationality
  • * Eikon Basilike
    • My recess hath given them confidence that I may be conquered.
  • (archaic) The state of being withdrawn; seclusion; privacy.
  • * Sir M. Hale
    • In the recess of the jury they are to consider the evidence.
  • * Dryden
    • Good verse recess and solitude requires.
  • (archaic) A place of retirement, retreat, secrecy, or seclusion.
  • * Milton
    • Departure from his happy place, our sweet / Recess , and only consolation left.
  • A secret or abstruse part.
    • the difficulties and recesses of science
  • (botany, zoology) A sinus.

    • Synonyms

    * (a break) break, day off, pause, vacation

    Derived terms

    * recess appointment * recession * recessive

    Verb

    (es)
  • To inset into something, or to recede.
    • Wow, look at how that gargoyle recesses into the rest of architecture.
    Recess the screw so it does not stick out.
  • To take or declare a break.
    • This court shall recess for its normal two hour lunch now.
    Class will recess for 20 minutes.
  • (informal) To appoint, with a recess appointment.
  • * 2013 , Michael Grunwald, "Cliff Dweller", in , ISSN 0040-781X, volume 181, number 1, 2013 January 14, page 27:
    • To the National Rifle Association's delight, the Senate has hobbled the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives by failing to confirm a director since 2006, but Obama hasn't made a recess appointment. "The President's view of his own power is a constrained one," says White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler. "Many of his nominees have languished, but he's only recessed the ones that were critical to keep agencies functioning."
  • To make a recess in.
    • to recess a wall

    Adjective

    (head)
  • (obsolete, rare) Remote, distant (in time or place).
    • Thomas Salusbury: Galileo's Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems:''''' ''I should think it best in the subsequent discourses to begin to examine whether the Earth be esteemed immoveable, as it hath been till now believed by most men, or else moveable, as some ancient Philosophers held, and others of not very '''recesse times were of opinion;

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