offence

[ uh-fens, aw-fens, of-ens ]

/ əˈfɛns, ˈɔ fɛns, ˈɒf ɛns /

noun

offense.

Words nearby offence

offbeat, offboard, offcast, offcut, offenbach, offence, offend, offense, offenseless, offensive, offer

Definition for offence (2 of 2)

offense

or of·fence

[ uh-fens or for 7–9, aw-fens, of-ens ]

/ əˈfɛns or for 7–9, ˈɔ fɛns, ˈɒf ɛns /

noun

a violation or breaking of a social or moral rule; transgression; sin.

a transgression of the law; misdemeanor.

a cause of transgression or wrong.

something that offends or displeases.

the act of offending or displeasing.

the feeling of resentful displeasure caused: to give offense.

the act of attacking; attack or assault: weapons of offense.

a person, army, etc., that is attacking.

Sports.

the players or team unit responsible for attacking or scoring in a game.
the players possessing or controlling the ball, puck, etc., or the aspects or period of a game when this obtains.
a pattern or style of scoring attack: single-wing offense; fast-break offense.
offensive effectiveness; ability to score: a total breakdown in offense.

Archaic. injury, harm, or hurt.

Origin of offense

1325–75; Middle English offence, offense; in part < Middle French offens < Latin offēnsus collision, knock, equivalent to offend(ere) (see offend) + -tus suffix of v. action; in part < Middle French offense ≪ Latin offēnsa, feminine past participle of offendere

SYNONYMS FOR offense

1, 2 trespass, felony, fault.

6 umbrage, resentment, wrath, indignation.

7 aggression.

8 besiegers, attackers, enemy, foe.

ANTONYMS FOR offense

6 pleasure.

7 defense.

synonym study for offense

1, 2. See crime.

OTHER WORDS FROM offense

self-of·fense, noun

Example sentences from the Web for offence

“We never meant to be offensive, but we apologize if any offence was caused,” they told the Sun.

British Co-Eds Dress as 9/11 in a Costume Contest—and Win |Nico Hines |November 6, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Is it really an offence against democracy for a government to enforce its own commitments upon its own MPs?

Stephen Harper is Respecting Voter Wishes by Not Reopening the Abortion Debate |David Frum |April 6, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
It is the first offence of which Mr Taylor has ever been accused.

Harry's Day in Court Over Stolen Mobile Moves Closer |Tom Sykes |February 29, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
Exile was then imposed as a penance on Columba, whose act had been the original cause of offence.

Ireland under the Tudors, Volume I (of II) |Richard Bagwell

The offence of Dreiser is that he has disdained this revelation and gone back to the Greeks.

A Book of Prefaces |H. L. Mencken
At the age of 16 he was charged with the offence of vagrancy, convicted and discharged.

Mental Defectives and Sexual Offenders |W. H. Triggs, Donald McGavin, Frederick Truby King, J. Sands Elliot, Ada G. Patterson, C.E. Matthews and J. Beck
The penalty in the first case, was, it was felt, altogether out of proportion to the offence.

Social Rights And Duties |Leslie Stephen
An offence against table-manners is banned like an attack on the Church.

The New Society |Walther Rathenau

British Dictionary definitions for offence

offence

US offense

/ (əˈfɛns) /

noun

a violation or breach of a law, custom, rule, etc

any public wrong or crime
a nonindictable crime punishable on summary conviction

annoyance, displeasure, or resentment

give offence or give offence to someone to cause annoyance or displeasure to someone

take offence to feel injured, humiliated, or offended

a source of annoyance, displeasure, or anger

attack; assault

archaic injury or harm

the offense (ˈɒfɛns) American football

the team that has possession of the ball
the members of a team that play in such circumstances

Derived forms of offence

offenceless or US offenseless, adjective

Idioms and Phrases with offence

offense

see no offense; take offense.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

offence

noun

Words nearby offence

Definition for offence (2 of 2)

or of·fence

noun

Origin of offense

SYNONYMS FOR offense

ANTONYMS FOR offense

synonym study for offense

OTHER WORDS FROM offense

Example sentences from the Web for offence

British Dictionary definitions for offence

US offense

noun

Derived forms of offence

Idioms and Phrases with offence