A temporary interruption during a days proceedings that does not interrupt unfinished business The rules in each house direct matters to be taken up and disposed of at the beginning of each legislative day The House usually adjourns from day to day The Senate often recesses, thus meeting on the same legislative day for several calendar days or even weeks at a time
A temporary termination of a meeting Recesses are called for short breaks (e g , for lunch or dinner) or occasionally at the close of a daily session to allow the legislative day to continue into the next calendar day (See ADJOURNMENT )
When formal meetings or court cases recess, they stop temporarily. The hearings have now recessed for dinner Before the trial recessed today, the lawyer read her opening statement