recitation Hear it!

recitation Definition

reci·ta·tion (res′ə tā′s̸hən)

noun

  1. a reciting, as of facts, events, etc.; recital
    1. a saying aloud in public of something memorized
    2. a piece of prose or verse memorized for this
  3. ☆
    1. a reciting by pupils of answers to questions on a prepared lesson
    2. a class meeting or period in which this occurs

Etymology: L recitatio

recitation Synonyms

recitation

n.

  1. The act of reciting

    delivery, speaking, playing, narrating, reading, recounting, declaiming, discoursing, soliloquizing, discussion, holding forth, performance, recital, narration, rehearsal, monologue, discourse.

  2. A class meeting for recitation of answers

    quiz period, recitation period, examination, oral questioning, schoolroom exercise, discussion hour, class discussion; see also class 3.

  3. A composition used for recitation, sense 1

    soliloquy, monologue, speech, address, oration, talk, proclamation, poetry, reading selection, sermon, appeal, report, performance piece; see also speech 3, writing 2.

recitation Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • give: One medium claimed to to have contacted her and gave a full recitation in English.
  • include: Part of the celebrations was a Variety Show, including a recitation from Paul.
  • accompany: The tale is told largely through rhythmic recitation accompanied by drumming.
  • do: There was a circle of druids in the stones doing a recitation.

Converse of subject

  • follow: It is followed by a recitation from the Qur'an.

Adjective modifier

  • Vedic: A small group of the Vedic Pandits walked five miles to where we were staying, so that we could experience their Vedic recitation.
  • mere: All of that is an attempt to say what a mere recitation of the story, or a mere photograph, couldn't say.
  • teacher-led: In it he had objected to his daughter being subjected to teacher-led recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance every morning under a statewide policy.
  • dry: The book covers the background to the case with great erudition but avoids tedium and dry recitation of facts.
  • perfect: He counted the amount of time he took to relearn the lists, using the same criterion of two perfect recitations.

Modifies a noun

  • contest: The recitation contest is aimed at pupils studying German at all levels.
  • competition: It recently revised an anthology Burns for Bairns mainly for the purpose of its recitation competitions.

Noun used with modifier

  • poetry: Those of you who were in attendance will remember how much fun we had at our poetry recitation last February.

Preposition: of

  • prayer: The widow who came to the judge did not offer to the judge some mantra or some chant or some recitation of ritual prayer.
  • fact: Resists all attempts to short circuit recitation of irrelevant facts.
  • text: The music consists of chants and recitations of the religious texts and teachings by the great masters of Buddhism.
  • mantra: The dances involved ceremonial costumed rituals, recitation of mantras and the use of drums and cymbals.
  • poetry: The traditional scene is the gathering of villagers in the evening for the telling of stories and the recitation of poetry.
  • verse: In part 3, p. 72, he says " The recitation of some verses is abrogated tho their provisions are retained.