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recur

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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WOTD – 19 March 2025

Etymology

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Learned borrowing from Latin recurrō (“to hurry or run back; to return, revert”), from re- (prefix meaning ‘back, backwards’) + currō (“to hasten, hurry; to move, travel; to run”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- (“to run”)).[1]

cognates

Pronunciation

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other accents

Verb

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recur (third-person singular simple present recurs, present participle recurring, simple past and past participle recurred) (intransitive)

  1. Of an event, situation, etc.: to appear or happen again, especially repeatedly.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:repeat
    The theme of the prodigal son recurs later in the third act.
    1. (medicine) Of a disease or symptom: to happen again, especially repeatedly or after a remission or an apparent recovery.
      • 1928 July 27, Radclyffe Hall, chapter 52, in The Well of Loneliness […], New York, N.Y.: Covici Friede Publishers, published December 1928, →OCLC, book 5, section 2, page 477:
        The bullet had grazed the optic nerve. […] The oculist had warned him that the trouble might recur, that he ought to have remained under observation. Well, it had recurred about four months ago.
  2. Of a memory, thought, etc.: to come to the mind again.
    • 1651, Thomas Fuller, “The Life and Death of John Bradford”, in Abel Redevivus: Or, The Dead Yet Speaking. The Lives and Deaths of the Moderne Divines. […], London: […] Tho[mas] Brudenell for John Stafford, […], →OCLC, page 187:
      The Saturday at night before he ſuffered, he dream'd his chaine vvas brought to the Counter gate, that the next day being Sunday, he ſhould be had to Nevvgate and burned at Smithfield the Munday enſuing, vvhich after many frightfull avvakings, ſtill recurring to his troubled fancy, he aroſe, and communicating vvhat he had dreamed to his Chamber-fellovv, fell to his old exerciſe of reading and praying.
    • 1665, John Spencer, “Many Modern Prophecies Proved to Arise from Melancholy”, in A Discourse Concerning Vulgar Prophecies […], London: […] J[ohn] Field for Timothy Garthwait, →OCLC, page 101:
      […] Men that are of a talkative and melancholy temper see any kind of visions. And this, especially because they have so deep a resentment [i.e., impression] of the most affecting objects, whose images therefore recur to the fancy when they are asleep, in most distinct and lively figures.
    • a. 1705, John Locke, “An Examination of P[ère] Malebranche’s Opinion of Seeing All Things in God”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC, paragraph 52, page 205:
      [T]he Idea I have once had vvill be unchangeably the ſame as long as it recurs the ſame in my Memory; but vvhen another different from that comes into my Mind, it vvill not be that.
    • 1721 April 29 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), E[dward] Young, The Revenge: A Tragedy. […], London: […] W. Chetwood […], and S. Chapman […], published 1721, →OCLC, Act V, page 53:
      Zan[ga]. Carry you Goodneſs then to ſuch Extreme, / So blinded to the Faults of him you love, / That you perceive not he is jealous? / Leon[ora]. Heav'ns! / And yet a Thouſand Things recur that ſvvear it.
    • 1749, Henry Fielding, “What Befel Mr. Jones on His Arrival in London”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume V, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book XIII, page 14:
      Though Jones had never ſeen Mrs. Fitzpatrick, yet he had heard that a Couſin of Sophia vvas married to a Gentleman of that Name. This, hovvever, in the present Tumult of his Mind, never once recurred to his Memory: […]
    • 1751 November 30 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. 175. Tuesday, November 19. 1751.”, in The Rambler, volume VII, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair, […], published 1752, →OCLC, page 119:
      [H]e may therefore be juſtly numbered among the benefactors of mankind, vvho contracts the great rules of life into ſhort ſentences, vvhich may be eaſily impreſſed on the memory, and taught by frequent recollection to recur habitually to the mind, vvhenever occaſion calls them into uſe.
    • 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter I, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume III, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 17:
      [E]very idea of the impropriety of her being found there, recurring to her mind, the few minutes in which they continued together, were some of the most uncomfortable of her life.
    • 1834, George Wilson, “Canto Fourth”, in Cyril, a Poem in Four Cantos, and Minor Poems, Leeds, West Yorkshire: John Cross, […], →OCLC, page 42:
      When thou, departed vision! dear and bright, / Recurrest to mine eyes—and with old lays, / Such as thou sangs't me in our innocent days, / Bringest, in vivid power, the moments past; […]
    • 1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter II, in Jane Eyre. An Autobiography. […], volume III, London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC, page 71:
      Till this moment, I had been so intent on watching them, […] I had half-forgotten my own wretched position: now it recurred to me.
    • 1855, Alfred Tennyson, “Will”, in Maud, and Other Poems, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, stanza 2, pages 149–150:
      But ill for him who, bettering not with time, / Corrupts the strength of heaven-descended Will, / And ever weaker grows thro' acted crime, / or seeming-genial venial fault, / Recurring and suggesting still!
    • 1874–1876 (date written), Lewis Carroll [pseudonym; Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], “Fit the Fifth.⁠ The Beaver’s Lesson.”, in The Hunting of the Snark […], London: Macmillan and Co., published March 1876, →OCLC, page 58:
      The song of the Jubjub recurred to their minds, / And cemented their friendship for ever!
    • 1899 September – 1900 July, Joseph Conrad, chapter XIX, in Lord Jim: A Tale, Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood and Sons, published 1900, →OCLC, pages 214–215:
      The position struck me as hopeless, and poor Brierly's saying recurred to me, 'Let him creep twenty feet underground and stay there.'
    • 1933 August, Vera Brittain, “‘When the Vision Dies …’”, in Testament of Youth: An Autobiographical Study of the years 1900–1925, London: Victor Gollancz […], published November 1933, →OCLC, part II, section 10, page 273:
      Just after Edward [Brittain]'s return to France, I had the first of those dreams which were to recur, in slightly different variations, at frequent intervals for nearly ten years.
    • 1992 September, Kim Stanley Robinson, “Part 7”, in Red Mars, New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books, published November 1993, →ISBN, page 472:
      An image from the dream recurred to him. […] Almost all had been undistorted memories of his childhood, memories never once recalled before.
  3. (dated) To speak, think, or write about something again; to go back or return to a memory, a subject, etc.
    • 1662, Henry More, “An Antidote against Atheism: or, An Appeal to the Natural Faculties of the Mind of Man, whether there Be Not a God. [...] The Third Edition […]. Chapter I.”, in A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr Henry More […], London: […] James Flesher for William Morden, […], →OCLC, book II, paragraph 7, page 43:
      But firſt I ſhall recurre, and give a touch upon the nature of Gravity.
    • 1749, Henry Fielding, “Containing, among Other Things, the Ingenuity of Partridge, the Madness of Jones, and the Folly of Fitzpatrick”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume IV, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book X, page 50:
      But before vve proceed to vvhat paſſed on his Arrival in the Kitchin, it vvill be neceſſary to recur to vvhat had there happened ſince Partridge had firſt left it on his Maſter's Summons.
    • 1753 (indicated as 1754), [Samuel Richardson], “Letter LII. Lady Clementina della Porretta, to Sir Charles Grandison.”, in The History of Sir Charles Grandison. […], volume IV, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by C. Hitch and L. Hawes, […], →OCLC, page 340:
      Again am I recurring to a ſubject I vviſh to quit. But ſince I cannot, I vvill give my pen its courſe—Pen, take thy courſe.
    • 1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter I, in Emma: […], volume III, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC, page 3:
      He was in high spirits; as ready to talk and laugh as ever, and seemed delighted to speak of his former visit, and recur to old stories: and he was not without agitation.
    • 1831 October 31, Mary W[ollstonecraft] Shelley, chapter III, in Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus (Standard Novels; IX), 3rd edition, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 33:
      I returned home, not disappointed, for I have said that I had long considered those authors useless whom the professor reprobated; but I returned, not at all the more inclined to recur to these studies in any shape.
    • 1904 November 10, Henry James, chapter XXXIV, in The Golden Bowl, volume II, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, 2nd book (The Princess), 4th part, page 204:
      I'm sorry to say any ill of your friends, and the thing was a long time ago; besides which there was nothing to make me recur to it.
    • 1993 May, Vikram Seth, chapter 3, in A Suitable Boy, London: Phoenix, Orion Books, published 1996, →ISBN, page 171:
      And Mrs Durrani? Lata said the two words aloud, appraising them. What of her? And of Kabir's brother and the sister he had 'until last year'? Over the last few days her mind had time and again recurred to these elusive beings and those few elusive comments.
  4. (archaic) Followed by to, or (Scotland, obsolete) on or upon: to have recourse to someone or something for assistance, support, etc.; to appeal, to resort, to turn to.
    • 1529 (date written), [Thomas Wolsey], “[A Collection of Records and Original Papers; with Other Instruments Referred to in the Former History.] XXII. The Second Part of a Long Dispatch of the Cardinals Concerning the Divorce. An Original..”, in Gilbert Burnet, The History of the Reformation of the Church of England. The First Part, […], London: […] T[homas] H[odgkin] for Richard Chiswell, […], published 1679, →OCLC, page 51:
      [I]f his Grace vvere minded, or vvould intend to do a thing inique or injuſt, there vvere no need to recurr unto the Pope's Holineſe for doing thereof.
    • 1609, [Richard Smith], “That Saint Austin was a Great Clerk and Excellent Diuine”, in The Prudentiall Ballance of Religion wherin the Catholike and Protestant Religion are Weighed together with the Weights of Prudence, and Right Reason. […], [Saint-Omer, France]: […] [François Bellet], →OCLC, page 29:
      And surely here I admire the goodnes of God towards our Nation, that he would Saint Austin [Augustine of Hippo] should enquire such small matters of S. Gregory, and that his questions should remaine to our dayes, both to shew vs by our first Apostle what account we should make of the resolution of the Sea Apostolick, and […] in all difficulties recur to her, […]
    • 1646, Thomas Browne, “Concerning the Beginning of the World, that the Time thereof is Not Precisely to bee Knowne, as Men Generally Suppose: […]”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward Dod, […], →OCLC, 6th book, page 274:
      Others have been ſo blind in deducing the originall of things, or delivering their ovvne beginnings, that vvhen it hath fallen into controverſie they have not recurred unto Chronologie or the records of time, but betaken themſelves unto probabilities, and the conjecturalities of Philoſophy.
    • 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], “Of Infinity”, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book II, § 16, page 107:
      If to avoid Succeſſion in eternal Exiſtence, they recur to the Punctum Stans [standing point] of the Schools, I ſuppoſe they vvill thereby very little mend the matter, or help us to a more clear and poſitive Idea of infinite Duration, there being nothing more inconceivable to me, than Duration vvithout Succeſſion.
    • 1767, Adam Ferguson, “Sect[ion] II. The History of Subordination.”, in An Essay on the History of Civil Society, Dublin: […] Boulter Grierson, […], →OCLC, 3rd part (Of the History of Policy and Arts), pages 181–182:
      The barbarian […] acts from affections unacquainted vvith forms; and vvhen provoked, or vvhen engaged in diſputes, he recurs to the ſvvord, as the ultimate means of deciſion, in all queſtions of right.
    • 1838, William Bell, “RECOURSE”, in A Dictionary and Digest of the Law of Scotland, […], Edinburgh: John Anderson, […]; Bell & Bradfute, […]; and Saunders & Benning, […], →OCLC, page 827:
      RECOURSE; is the right competent to an assignee or disponee, under the warrandice of the transaction, to recur on the vendor or cedent for relief, in case of eviction or of defects inferring warrandice.
    • 1891, Charles Egbert Craddock [pseudonym; Mary Noailles Murfree], chapter III, in In the “Stranger People’s” Country […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC, page 72:
      She only replied with a laugh, and he evidently deemed futile the bid for sympathy on the score of religious or irreligious fellowship, for he recurred to it no more.
    • 1903 September 28, Henry James, chapter XVI, in The Ambassadors, London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC, 7th part, page 215:
      [He] had found the place, even in company, such a refuge from the obsession of his problem that, with renewed pressure from that source, he had not unnaturally recurred to a remedy that seemed so, for the moment, to meet his case.
  5. (computing) Synonym of recurse (“to execute a procedure recursively”)
  6. (mathematics) Often in the form recurring following a number: of a numeral or group of numerals in a decimal fraction: to repeat indefinitely.
    One-third can be written in decimal form as 0.3333 …, or point three-recurring.
    • 1814, Peter Barlow, “CIRCULATING Decimals, or Recurring Decimals”, in A New Mathematical and Philosophical Dictionary; […], London: […] Whittingham and Rowland, […]; for G[eorge] and S. Robinson, […], →OCLC, signature M2, recto, column 1:
      CIRCULATING Decimals, or Recurring Decimals, are those that consist of a repetition of a small number of digits, as 646464, &c. 4127127127, &c.; in fact, every decimal that is not finite, is a circulating decimal, or is such, that if continued far enough, the same figures will again recur; but it is only those, of which the periods of circulation consist of a few figures, that receive generally the definition of circulating decimals.
  7. (obsolete)
    1. Followed by into or to: to go to a place again; to return.
      • 1612, [Miguel de Cervantes], “Wherein is Prosecuted the History of the Curious Impertinent”, in Thomas Shelton, transl., The History of the Valorous and Wittie Knight-errant Don-Quixote of the Mancha. […], London: […] William Stansby, for Ed[ward] Blount and W. Barret, →OCLC, part 1, page 387:
        [H]er conſtancy beganne to ſtagger, and her honeſty had enough to doe, recurring to her eyes to containe them, leſt they ſhould giue any demonſtration of the amorous compaſsion vvhich Lotharios vvordes and teares had ſtirred in her breaſt.
      • 1658, Edward Phillips, compiler, “Cycle”, in The New World of English Words: Or, A General Dictionary: […], London: […] E. Tyler, for Nath[aniel] Brook […], →OCLC:
        Cycle of the Sun is the revolution of 28 years, Cycle of the Moon the revolution of 19 years, in which time both of their motions recur to the ſame point.
      • 1666 October 30 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Edward Waterhous[e], “To His Noble Friend and Kinsman, Sr. Edwarde Turno[u]r, Knight; Speaker of the Honorable House of Commons in this Present Parliament”, in A Short Narrative of the Late Dreadful Fire in London: […], London: […] W. G. for Rich[ard] Thrale […], and James Thrale […], published 1667, →OCLC, page 133:
        For as in the body natural the amputation and dock of one member forces the bloud and ſpirits that therein reſide vvhen fixed, to recur to the heart, and there to ſuccour it in the abſence of that part, ſo is the body politique, in this ſenſe Intentio ſupplere debet defectum [the intention must supply the deficiency], […]
      • 1760, Oliver Goldsmith, “Letter C. From Lien Chi Altangi to ***, Merchant in Amsterdam.”, in The Citizen of the World; or Letters from a Chinese Philosopher, […], volume II, London: […] [F]or the author; and sold by J. Newbery and W. Bristow, […]; J. Leake and W. Frederick, […]; B. Collins, […]; and A. M. Smart and Co. […], published 1762, →OCLC, page 153:
        [H]ovvever vve toil, or vvhereſoever vve vvander, our fatigued vviſhes ſtill recur to home for tranquillity, vve long to die in that ſpot vvhich gave us birth, and in that pleaſing expectation opiate every calamity.
    2. Followed by into or to: To go back to doing an activity, or to using a thing; to return.
      • 1796, J[ohn] G[abriel] Stedman, chapter I, in Narrative of a Five Years’ Expedition against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the Wild Coast of South America; […], volume I, London: J[oseph] Johnson, […], and J. Edwards, […], →OCLC, page 20:
        I contrived for ſome time to carry on ſomething like a converſation vvith this vvoman, but vvas ſoon glad to put an end to it by recurring to my bottle.
      • 1859, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], “In Hetty’s Bed-Chamber”, in Adam Bede […], volume II, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book fourth, page 317:
        After throwing out this pregnant hint, Mr Poyser recurred to his pipe and his silence, looking at Hetty to see if she did not give some sign of having renounced her ill-advised wish.
      • 1871–1872, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter LIV, in Middlemarch […], volume III, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book VI, page 204:
        Mrs Farebrother recurred to her knitting with a dignified satisfaction in her neat little effort at oratory, […]
    3. (rare) Followed by to: to go to a place; to resort.
      • 1655, Thomas Stanley, “[Solon.] Chap[ter] VI. His Lawes.”, in The History of Philosophy. […], volume I, London: […] Humphrey Moseley, and Thomas Dring, […], →OCLC, 1st part ([Containing Those on whom the Attribute of Wise was Conferr’d]), page 44:
        [T]he City grevv very populous, many recurring thither from all parts of Attica, for liberty and ſecurity, […]
    4. (rare) Followed by from: to move or run back from something; to recede, to withdraw.
      • 1784, Matthew Young, “Sect[ion] I. Of the Motion of an Elastic Fibre.”, in An Enquiry into the Principal Phænomena of Sounds and Musical Strings, Dublin: […] Joseph Hill, […], →OCLC, part II (On Musical Strings), page 76:
        If half the latitude of the firſt vvave be an aliquant part of the ſtring, after the motion has been propagated to the fartheſt extremity, there vvill be a nevv ſeries of leſs vvaves, recurring in a contrary direction.

Conjugation

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Conjugation of recur
infinitive (to) recur
present tense past tense
1st-person singular recur recurred
2nd-person singular recur, recurrest† recurred, recurredst†
3rd-person singular recurs, recurreth† recurred
plural recur
subjunctive recur recurred
imperative recur —
participles recurring recurred

† Archaic or obsolete.

Derived terms

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Translations

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References

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  1. ^ “recur, v.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2024; “recur, v.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Further reading

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Anagrams

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