Lewis & Short

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2. rĕcessus, ūs, m. [recedo],

  1. I. a going back, receding, retiring, retreat, departure; opp. accessus (class.; cf. receptus): accessus ad res salutares, a pestiferis recessus, Cic. N. D. 2, 12, 34: ut luna accessu et recessu suo lumen accipiat, id. de Or. 3, 45, 178.
    Of the ebb of the tide: quid de fretis aut de marinis aestibus plura dicam? quorum accessus et recessus lunae motu gubernantur, Cic. Div. 2, 14, 34; so Col. 8, 17, 9: recessum primis ultimi non dabant, i. e. means of retreat, * Caes. B. G. 5, 43; Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 10, 1: gemmae, its removal from the eye, Plin. 37, 6, 23, § 88: cum processui et recessui cani juberet, i. e. in going home, Treb. Gall. 17, 3; Amm. 20, 11, 8.
    1. B. Meton. (abstr. pro concreto), a distant, retired, or secret spot, a nook, corner, retreat, recess (acc. to recedo, I. B. 2.; syn.: secessus, secretum): mihi solitudo et recessus provincia est, Cic. Att. 12, 26, 2; cf.: nos terrarum ac libertatis extremos recessus ipse ac sinus famae in hunc diem defendit, our remote position itself and our distant renown, Tac. Agr. 30: nec, sicut aestivas aves, statim auctumno tecta ac recessum circumspicere, Liv. 5, 6, 2: cum vox quasi in recessu oris auditur, Quint. 1, 5, 32: hic spelunca fuit, vasto submota recessu, in a deep recess, Verg. A. 8, 193; cf. Ov. M. 3, 157; 10, 691; 11, 592: ubi marmoreo Superi sedere recessu, in the marble hall, id. ib. 1, 177: oculi in recessu cavo, Plin. 8, 33, 51, § 121.
      In plur., Verg. A. 11, 527; Liv. 38, 45 (along with anguli); Vell. 2, 32, 4; Plin. 3, 1, 1, § 5; Quint. 11, 2, 18; Ov. M. 7, 670; 13, 902; id. F. 1, 555; Curt. 7, 2, 22.
  2. II. Trop.: tum accessus a te ad causam facti, tum recessus, advances and retreats, Cic. Fam. 9, 14, 7: habeat illa in dicendo admiratio ac summa laus umbram aliquam et recessum, quo magis id, quod erit illuminatum, extare atque eminere videatur, somewhat of shade and background, Cic. de Or. 3, 26, 101; cf.: haec professio plus habet in recessu quam fronte promittit, Quint. 1, 4, 2.
    In plur.: vita hominum altos recessus magnasque latebras habet, Plin. Ep. 3, 3, 6: in animis hominum tantae latebrae sunt et tanti recessus, Cic. Marc. 7, 22: strenua ingenia, quo plus recessus sumunt, leisure, Val. Max. 3, 6, 1.