recital
public solo or small-group performance
A show where one person or a small group plays music, dances, or says poems in front of people.
[someone] gives [a] recital; [a] [instrument] recital; [a] [dance/poetry] recital
- She’s giving a piano recital at the community center next Friday.
- Their daughter had her first dance recital at the end of the school year.
- The violin recital featured works by Bach and Beethoven.
- We bought tickets to an evening song recital at the old theater.
- After weeks of practice, the students were ready for the school recital.
- My son will play in a piano recital this weekend.
- The dance recital is on Saturday night.
- We went to a violin recital at the university.
- She is nervous about her first school recital.
- He practices every day for his guitar recital.
act of reciting from memory
When a person says a poem or other text aloud from memory, often in front of other people.
[someone] gives [a] recital of [a poem/text]; [a] recital of [a] poem
- Each child had to give a short recital of a poem in front of the class.
- The teacher organized a poetry recital to help students practice speaking from memory.
- Her flawless recital of the speech impressed the judges.
- They practiced the Bible passage every evening before the final recital at church.
- His nervousness showed during the recital of his lines in the school play.
- I must give a recital of a poem tomorrow.
- The students prepare a short recital for their parents.
- She did a recital of a long speech from memory.
- We listened to his recital of the story in class.
- The teacher asked for a recital of the first ten lines.
long detailed list-like account
A long, careful story or list that gives many facts or details, often so many that it feels boring.
[a] recital of [facts/events/names]; [a] long recital of [something]
- The report begins with a dry recital of the company’s financial results.
- He launched into a long recital of everything that had gone wrong that day.
- The article offers a detailed recital of the events leading up to the crisis.
- Her email was basically a recital of complaints about the new system.
- The judge was not interested in a recital of past arguments between the parties.
- The letter included a long recital of past problems.
- He gave the police a careful recital of the events.
- The article starts with a recital of key facts.
- Her speech was a boring recital of numbers.
- The manager did not want a recital of excuses.
introductory clauses in a contract
In a contract or legal paper, the part at the beginning that explains the background and reasons before the main rules and terms.
the recitals to [an agreement]; as stated in the recitals; [the] recitals section
- The recitals to this agreement set out the parties’ intentions and the background to the transaction.
- As stated in the recitals, the company wishes to expand its operations into Europe.
- Lawyers often use the recitals to clarify the purpose and context of the contract.
- Any conflict between the recitals and the operative clauses shall be resolved in favor of the operative clauses.
- The judge referred to the recitals to understand the original purpose of the agreement.
- The contract begins with recitals explaining why it was made.
- In the recitals, the company describes its business and goals.
- The lawyer told us that the recitals are not the main rules of the contract.
- The recitals section gives background information about the deal.
- Some people skip the recitals, but they can be important.
- Base: recital
- Plural: recital, recitals
dance recital
1public dance performance
A show where people, often children or students, dance on a stage for others to watch.
- Their daughter’s dance recital will be held at the end of the school year.
- Parents filled the auditorium for the children’s dance recital.
give a recital
1perform a recital for an audience
To do a recital, such as playing music or dancing, for people who come to watch or listen.
- She’ll give a recital of Chopin pieces at the end of the term.
- The young guitarist is giving a recital at the local arts center tonight.
piano recital
1public piano performance
A show where someone plays the piano for people to listen to.
- She’s preparing for her final piano recital at the music school.
- We went to a piano recital in the small concert hall downtown.
poetry recital
1event for reciting poems aloud
An event where people say poems aloud to a group of listeners.
- The university is hosting a poetry recital next Thursday evening.
- He first shared his work in a small poetry recital at a local café.
school recital
1student performance event at school
A show at a school where students play music, dance, or say poems for parents and friends.
- Parents were invited to the school recital to see what the children had learned.
- The school recital takes place in the gym every spring.