What does "recession" mean?

1. (economic decline) a difficult time for a country's economy when there is less trade and more people lose their jobs. 2. (moving backward) the act of something moving away or backward from a previous position. 3. (eye surgery) a type of eye surgery where a muscle is moved to a new position to fix how the eye moves. 4. (church exit) the formal walk out of the choir and priests at the end of a church service.

recession

US //ˌɹiˈsɛʃən// UK //ɹɪsˈɛʃən// re·ces·sion

1 economic decline (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

a difficult time for a country's economy when there is less trade and more people lose their jobs.

a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP in two successive quarters.

Example

Many small businesses had to close down during the last global recession.

Example

Economists warned that the aggressive interest rate hikes could inadvertently trigger a deep recession, leading to widespread unemployment across the manufacturing sector.
- boom
- expansion
2 moving backward (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal

the act of something moving away or backward from a previous position.

the act or instance of receding or withdrawing from a limit, point, or previous condition.

Example

The recession of the floodwaters finally allowed people to return to their homes.

Example

The gradual recession of the coastline due to rising sea levels has forced local authorities to reconsider their urban planning strategies.
- advance
- progression

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3 eye surgery (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Medicine

a type of eye surgery where a muscle is moved to a new position to fix how the eye moves.

a surgical procedure in which an extraocular muscle is detached from the globe of the eye and reattached further back to weaken its action.

Example

The doctor recommended a muscle recession to correct the child's crossed eyes.

Example

The surgeon performed a bilateral medial rectus recession to address the patient's persistent esotropia and improve binocular alignment.
- resection
4 church exit (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal Religion

the formal walk out of the choir and priests at the end of a church service.

the ceremonial exit of the clergy, choir, and altar servers from the chancel at the conclusion of a religious service.

Example

The congregation stood in silence during the recession of the choir.

Example

Following the final blessing, the organist played a triumphant march to accompany the recession of the clergy through the nave.
- recessional
- procession

Origin

Borrowed from Latin recessiō, from recēdō (“recede, retreat”), from re- (“back”) + cēdō (“to go”). By surface analysis, recess + -ion.

Idioms1 entry

01
W-shaped recession
An economic downturn where key indicators such as GDP and employment plummet sharply, briefly rebound, dip again, and then recover fully, forming a W pattern on a chart.