offense
of·fense (ə fens′; also, and for n. 7 always, ô′fens′)
noun
- an offending; specif.,
- the act of breaking a law; sin or crime; transgression
- the act of creating resentment, hurt feelings, displeasure, etc.
- the condition of being offended, esp. of feeling hurt, resentful, or angry; umbrage
- Rare something that causes sinning or wrongdoing
- something that causes resentment, anger, etc.
- the act of attacking or assaulting; aggression
- the person, army, etc. that is attacking
- ☆ Sports
- a team when it is attempting to score against an opponent in any contest
- the ability to score against an opposing team
- the strategy, plays, etc. used in attempting to score against an opposing team
Etymology: ME < MFr < L offensa < pp. of offendere: see offend
give offense
to offend; anger, insult, etc.
on offense
Sports engaged in an attempt to score against an opposing team
take offense
to become offended; feel hurt, angry, etc.
offense
n.
A misdeed
misdemeanor, malfeasance, transgression; see crime 1, 2, sin.An attack
assault, aggression, battery; see attack 1.Styles of offense in football include: running attack*, shotgun offense*, T-formation*, wishbone*, passing attack*, straight football*, power plays*, cross-bucks and spinners*, flying wedge*, razzle-dazzle*, the aerial route*, the bust-em philosophy*.
Styles of offense in basketball include: five-man attack*, four-man offense*, center fan*, cartwheel*, slow-breaking attack*, fast-breaking attack*.
Resentment
umbrage, resentment, pique, indignation, displeasure, hurt, huff, disgust, high dudgeon; see also anger, resentment.
offense, in this connection, implies displeased or hurt feelings as the result of a slight, insult, etc. don't take offense at my criticism; resentment adds implications of indignation, a brooding over an injury, and ill will toward the offender a resentment cherished for days; umbrage implies offense or resentment at being slighted or having one's pride hurt he took umbrage at the tone of her letter; pique suggests a passing feeling of ruffled pride, usually over a trifle; displeasure may describe a feeling varying from dissatisfaction or disapproval to anger and indignation
n
Converse of object
- commit: Even agents who have committed far more serious offenses on behalf of hostile nations have not received such a harsh sentence.
- constitute: But any citizen summoned or arrested in virtue of the law shall submit without delay, as resistance constitutes an offense.
- cause: Are there pictures, colors or images that would cause offense?
- take: I take offense with people putting word into my mouth.
- mean: Don't be offended; I mean no offense.
- consider: Several of the outfits, Ignatius noticed, were new enough and expensive enough to be properly considered offenses against taste and decency.
Preposition: in
- organization: Warning: Re NMAP software: even just downloading nmap - may be a sackable offense in many organizations.
Adjective modifier
- petty: Petty offense or not they may look like players also tend.
- punishable: It became a punishable offense to report sick with sunburn.
- sackable: Warning: Re NMAP software: even just downloading nmap - may be a sackable offense in many organizations.
- criminal: It was a civil offense, not a criminal offense.
- federal: The kind of camping you do is a federal offense.
- alleged: And even this is only true if the earlier alleged offenses were genuine.
Modifies a noun
- hand: Petty offense hand than them they can have watch how hands.
- level: People playing texas petty offense level of experience any two cardsnow.
- manner: Return calls seeking petty offense manner which reflects hands they are.
- number: A memo added petty offense number of hands vegas at the.
Noun used with modifier
Browse dictionary entries near offense
- offended
- offend
- offence
- Offenbach
- offbeat
- Offaly
- offal
- off year
- off-white
- off-track
- offenseless
- offensive
- offer
- offer of proof
- offer up
- offered load
- offering
- offering circular
- offering memorandum
- offertory
