offense
NounOpen English WordNet
Noun (5)offenses
- a lack of politeness; a failure to show regard for others; wounding the feelings of othersSynonyms: discourtesyoffenceoffensive activityType of behavior, behaviourKinds rebuff, insult, presumption, indelicacy, insolence, derision
- a feeling of anger caused by being offended“he took offence at my question”Synonyms: umbrageoffenceType of anger, choler
- a transgression that constitutes a violation of what is judged to be rightSynonyms: offenceType of transgression, evildoingKinds crime, criminal offense
- the team that has the ball (or puck) and is trying to scoreSynonyms: offenceOpposite defenseType of team, squad
- the action of attacking an enemySynonyms: offenceoffensiveType of operation, military operationKinds counteroffensive, dirty war, rollback
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: F., fr. L. offensa. See Offend.
1. The act of offending in any sense; esp., a crime or a sin, an affront or an injury.
Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.— Rom. iv. 25.
I have given my opinion against the authority of two great men, but I hope without offense to their memories.— John Dryden
2. The state of being offended or displeased; anger; displeasure; as, to cause offense.
He was content to give them just cause of offense, when they had power to make just revenge.— Sir Philip Sidney
3. A cause or occasion of stumbling or of sin. obsolete
Woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!— Matt. xviii. 7.
4. In any contest, the act or process of attacking as contrasted with the act of defending; the offensive; as, to go on the offense.
5. Sports The members of a team who have the primary responsibility to score goals, in contrast to those who have the responsibility to defend, i.e. to prevent the opposing team from scoring goal.
☞ This word, like expense, is often spelled with a c. It ought, however, to undergo the same change with expense, the reasons being the same, namely, that s must be used in offensive as in expensive, and is found in the Latin offensio, and the French offense.
To take offense, to feel, or assume to be, injured or affronted; to become angry or hostile. — Weapons of offense, those which are used in attack, in distinction from those of defense, which are used to repel.
Synonyms: Displeasure; umbrage; resentment; misdeed; misdemeanor; trespass; transgression; delinquency; fault; sin; crime; affront; indignity; outrage; insult.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54 · with additions: GCIDE editors