CIDE DICTIONARY
, n. Array
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The act of offending in any sense; esp., a crime or a sin, an affront or an injury. [1913 Webster]
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The state of being offended or displeased; anger; displeasure;
as, to cause offense. [
1913 Webster]
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A cause or occasion of stumbling or of sin. [1913 Webster]
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In any contest, the act or process of attacking as contrasted with the act of defending; the offensive;
as, to go on the offense. [
PJC]
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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. [PJC]
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.
Syn. -- Displeasure; umbrage; resentment; misdeed; misdemeanor; trespass; transgression; delinquency; fault; sin; crime; affront; indignity; outrage; insult.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
, n. (US offense)
1 an illegal act; a transgression or misdemeanour.
2 a wounding of the feelings; resentment or umbrage (no offence was meant).
3 the act of attacking or taking the offensive; aggressive action.
give offence cause hurt feelings. take offence suffer hurt feelings.
offenceless adj.
orig. = stumbling, stumbling-block: ME & OF offens f. L offensus annoyance, and ME & F offense f. L offensa a striking against, hurt, displeasure, both f. offendere (as OB-, fendere fens- strike)
THESAURUS
breach, crime, dereliction, error, fault, felony, harm, hurt, infraction, infringement, injure, insult, lapse, malefaction, misdeed, misdemeanor, offend, outrage, peccadillo, sin, slight, slip, take umbrage, transgression, trespass, violation, wrong, wrongdoing