RECIDIVE, French law. The state of an individual who commits a crime or
misdemeanor, after having once been condemned for a crime or misdemeanor; a
relapse.
2. Many states provide, that for a second offence, the punishment shall
be increased in those cases the indictment should set forth the crime or
misdemeanor as a second offence.
3. The second offence must have been committed after tho conviction for
the first; a defendant could not be convicted of a second offence, as such,
until after he had suffered a punishment for the first. Dall. Diet. h.t.