re|ces|sive /r I se s I v/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A recessive gene produces a particular characteristic only if a person has two of these genes, one from each parent. Compare dominant . [TECHNICAL ] □ Sickle-cell anaemia is passed on through a recessive gene.
re|charge /riː tʃɑː r dʒ/ (recharges , recharging , recharged )
1 VERB If you recharge a battery, you put an electrical charge back into the battery by connecting it to a machine that draws power from another source of electricity such as the mains. □ [V n] He is using your mains electricity to recharge his car battery.
2 PHRASE If you recharge your batteries , you take a break from activities which are tiring or difficult in order to relax and feel better when you return to these activities. □ He wanted to recharge his batteries and come back feeling fresh and positive.
re|charge|able /riː tʃɑː r dʒəb ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Rechargeable batteries can be recharged and used again. Some electrical products are described as rechargeable when they contain rechargeable batteries. □ …a rechargeable battery. □ …a rechargeable drill.
re|cher|ché /rəʃeə r ʃe I / ADJ If you describe something as recherché , you mean that it is very sophisticated or is associated with people who like things which are unusual and of a very high quality. [FORMAL ] □ Only extra-virgin olive oil will do on recherché dinner tables.
re|cidi|vist /r I s I d I v I st/ (recidivists ) N‑COUNT A recidivist is someone who has committed crimes in the past and has begun to commit crimes again, for example after a period in prison. [FORMAL ] □ Six prisoners are still at large along with four dangerous recidivists. ● re|cidi|vism /r I s I d I v I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Their basic criticism was that prisons do not reduce the crime rate, they cause recidivism.
reci|pe /re s I pi/ (recipes )
1 N‑COUNT A recipe is a list of ingredients and a set of instructions that tell you how to cook something. □ …a traditional recipe for oatmeal biscuits. □ …a recipe book.
2 N‑SING If you say that something is a recipe for a particular situation, you mean that it is likely to result in that situation. □ Large-scale inflation is a recipe for disaster.
re|cipi|ent /r I s I piənt/ (recipients ) N‑COUNT The recipient of something is the person who receives it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …the largest recipient of American foreign aid.
re|cip|ro|cal /r I s I prək ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A reciprocal action or agreement involves two people or groups who do the same thing to each other or agree to help each another in a similar way. [FORMAL ] □ They expected a reciprocal gesture before more hostages could be freed.
re|cip|ro|cate /r I s I prəke I t/ (reciprocates , reciprocating , reciprocated ) VERB If your feelings or actions towards someone are reciprocated , the other person feels or behaves in the same way towards you as you have felt or behaved towards them. □ [V n] He reciprocated the party leader's good wishes. □ [V + by ] I helped Juan with his English and he reciprocated by correcting my Spanish. ● re|cip|ro|ca|tion /r I s I prəke I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] There was no reciprocation of affection.
reci|proc|ity /re s I prɒ s I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT Reciprocity is the exchange of something between people or groups of people when each person or group gives or allows something to the other. [FORMAL ] □ They gave assurances they would press for reciprocity with Greece in the issuing of visas.
re|cit|al /r I sa I t ə l/ (recitals )
1 N‑COUNT A recital is a performance of music or poetry, usually given by one person. □ …a solo recital by the harpsichordist Maggie Cole.
2 N‑COUNT If someone speaks for a long time, or says something that is boring or that has been heard many times before, you can describe it as a recital . [WRITTEN ] □ [+ of ] Before long we all grew bored with his frequent recital of the foods he couldn't eat.
reci|ta|tion /re s I te I ʃ ə n/ (recitations ) N‑VAR When someone does a recitation , they say aloud a piece of poetry or other writing that they have learned. □ The transmission began with a recitation from the Koran.
re|cite /r I sa I t/ (recites , reciting , recited )
1 VERB When someone recites a poem or other piece of writing, they say it aloud after they have learned it. □ [V n] They recited poetry to one another. [Also V ]
2 VERB If you recite something such as a list, you say it aloud. □ [V n] All he could do was recite a list of Government failings.
reck|less /re kləs/ ADJ If you say that someone is reckless , you mean that they act in a way which shows that they do not care about danger or the effect their behaviour will have on other people. □ He is charged with causing death by reckless driving. ● reck|less|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ He was leaning recklessly out of the unshuttered window. ● reck|less|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ He felt a surge of recklessness.
reck|on ◆◇◇ /re kən/ (reckons , reckoning , reckoned )
1 VERB If you reckon that something is true, you think that it is true. [INFORMAL ] □ [V that] Toni reckoned that it must be about three o'clock.
2 VERB [usu passive] If something is reckoned to be a particular figure, it is calculated to be roughly that amount. □ [be V -ed to-inf] The star's surface temperature is reckoned to be minus 75 degrees Celsius. □ [V n + at ] A proportion of the research, which I reckoned at about 30 percent, was basic research.