| recess | 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 The state of being withdrawn; seclusion; privacy.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. 7. <botany> A sinus. Origin: L. Recessus, fr. Recedere, recessum. See Recede. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| parotid recess | A deep hollow on the side at the sides of the face flanking the posterior aspect of the ramus of the mandible with its attached muscles which is occupied by the parotid gland; it is lined with fascial laminae (the parotid sheath) derived from the investing layer of deep cervical fascia; the structures bounding the space collectively constitute the parotid bed. Surgeons operating in the area take advantage of the fact that the anteroposterior dimensions of the parotid space increase with protrusion of the mandible. Synonym: parotid recess, recessus parotideus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Reichert's cochlear recess | A small depression on the inner wall of the vestibule of the labyrinth at the portion of the pyramid of vestibule, between the two limbs into which the vestibular crest divides posteriorly; it is perforated by foramina giving passage to fibres which the cochlear branch of the vestibulocochlear nerve sends to the posterior extremity of the cochlear duct. Synonym: recessus cochlearis, Reichert's cochlear recess. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cerebellopontine recess | The angle formed at the junction of cerebellum, pons, and medulla. Synonym: pontocerebellar recess. (05 Mar 2000) |
| retrocaecal recess | One of several small pockets sometimes found extending alongside the right margin of the ascending colon near the caecum. Synonym: recessus retrocaecalis, caecal recess. (05 Mar 2000) |
| retroduodenal recess | A peritoneal recess occasionally found behind the third part of the duodenum, between it and the aorta. Synonym: recessus retroduodenalis, infraduodenal fossa, retroduodenal fossa. (05 Mar 2000) |
| mesentericoparietal recess | A peritoneal fossa that has been seen in a few cases in which the jejunum has no mesentery but is attached to the posterior parietal peritoneum; the fossa begins at the point where the mesentery ends, and is seen on raising up the knuckle of free intestine. Synonym: Broesike's fossa, fossa parajejunalis, mesentericoparietal fossa, mesentericoparietal recess. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pharyngeal recess | A slitlike depression in the membranous (non-muscular) pharyngeal wall extending posterior to the opening of the auditory (eustachian) tube. Synonym: recessus pharyngeus, recessus infundibuliformis, Rosenmuller's fossa, Rosenmuller's recess. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Rosenmuller's recess | A slitlike depression in the membranous (non-muscular) pharyngeal wall extending posterior to the opening of the auditory (eustachian) tube. Synonym: recessus pharyngeus, recessus infundibuliformis, Rosenmuller's fossa, Rosenmuller's recess. (05 Mar 2000) |
| phrenicomediastinal recess | The recess of the pleural cavity between the diaphragm and the mediastinum. Synonym: recessus phrenicomediastinalis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cochlear recess | A small depression on the inner wall of the vestibule of the labyrinth at the portion of the pyramid of vestibule, between the two limbs into which the vestibular crest divides posteriorly; it is perforated by foramina giving passage to fibres which the cochlear branch of the vestibulocochlear nerve sends to the posterior extremity of the cochlear duct. Synonym: recessus cochlearis, Reichert's cochlear recess. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pineal recess | A diverticulum from the posterior part of the third ventricle extending back between the posterior commissure and the habenular commissure. Synonym: recessus pinealis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| piriform recess | A recess in the anterolateral wall of the nasopharynx on each side of the vestible of the larynx separated from it by the aryepiglottic folds. Synonym: recessus piriformis, piriform recess, piriform sinus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pneumatoenteric recess | Pneumoenteric recess, a recess of the embryonic celom between the right lung bud and the gut; it is normally largely obliterated before birth, leaving only the superior recess of the vestibule of the lesser peritoneal sac as a vestige. (05 Mar 2000) |
| costodiaphragmatic recess | The cleftlike extension of the pleural cavity between the diaphragm and the rib cage; pleural effusions collect here when in the upright position, and since the lung only partially enters, this is the site of thoracocentesis. Synonym: recessus costodiaphragmaticus, phrenicocostal sinus. (05 Mar 2000) |