Definition

1. Verb:
   • To repeat aloud from memory: To say a piece of writing, such as a poem or a lesson, that one has learned and memorized.
   • To narrate or give a detailed account of: To tell a story or describe a series of events in order.
   • To list or specify individually: To name or mention a number of things one after the other.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • The student was asked to recite the poem from memory.
  • He began to recite the story of his adventures in great detail.
  • The lawyer will recite the facts of the case to the jury.

Advanced Usage

• "to recite from": to repeat aloud a part of a text from memory.
  • She can recite long passages from Shakespeare's plays.
• "to recite to": to say something memorized for an audience.
  • The child proudly recited the poem to her parents.

Variants and Related Words

• Recitation (n): The act of reciting; a public reading or performance of something memorized.
  • Her recitation of the speech was flawless.
• Recital (n): A detailed account or listing; a performance of music or dance, or a public reading of poetry or prose.
  • He gave a long recital of his complaints.

Synonyms

• Declaim: To speak rhetorically or as if giving a formal speech.
• Enumerate: To mention a number of things one by one.
• Narrate: To tell a story or describe events.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(This word is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meaning is typically expressed directly.)

Related Idioms

(There are no common idioms that use the word "recite" as their core component.)

Verb

1. specify individually
   • She enumerated the many obstacles she had encountered
   • The doctor recited the list of possible side effects of the drug
2. narrate or give a detailed account of
   • Tell what happened
   • The father told a story to his child
3. render verbally, "recite a poem"
   • retell a story
4. repeat aloud from memory
   • she recited a poem
   • The pupil recited his lesson for the day
5. recite in elocution