Library / English Dictionary

OFFENCE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A transgression that constitutes a violation of what is judged to be right

Synonyms:

offence; offense

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("offence" is a kind of...):

evildoing; transgression (the act of transgressing; the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "offence"):

crime; criminal offence; criminal offense; law-breaking ((criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The action of attacking an enemy

Synonyms:

offence; offense; offensive

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("offence" is a kind of...):

military operation; operation (activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "offence"):

counteroffensive (a large scale offensive (more than a counterattack) undertaken by a defending force to seize the initiative from an attacking force)

dirty war (an offensive conducted by secret police or the military of a regime against revolutionary and terrorist insurgents and marked by the use of kidnapping and torture and murder with civilians often being the victims)

push back; rollback (the act of forcing the enemy to withdraw)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A lack of politeness; a failure to show regard for others; wounding the feelings or others

Synonyms:

discourtesy; offence; offense; offensive activity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("offence" is a kind of...):

behavior; behaviour; conduct; doings (manner of acting or controlling yourself)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "offence"):

derision; ridicule (the act of deriding or treating with contempt)

indelicacy (an impolite act or expression)

insolence (an offensive disrespectful impudent act)

affront; insult (a deliberately offensive act or something producing the effect of deliberate disrespect)

presumption (a kind of discourtesy in the form of an act of presuming)

rebuff; slight (a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval))

Sense 4

Meaning:

A feeling of anger caused by being offended

Example:

he took offence at my question

Synonyms:

offence; offense; umbrage

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Hypernyms ("offence" is a kind of...):

anger; choler; ire (a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance)

Derivation:

offend (cause to feel resentment or indignation)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The team that has the ball (or puck) and is trying to score

Synonyms:

offence; offense

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("offence" is a kind of...):

squad; team (a cooperative unit (especially in sports))

Antonym:

defence ((sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring)

Credits

 Context examples: 

That was evidently the crime of crimes, the one offence there was no condoning nor overlooking.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Evidence of a previous conviction for robbery having been given against the prisoner, the magistrate refused to deal summarily with the offence, but referred it to the Assizes.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I came to you that morning in order to understand the full enormity of my offence.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

In my own case, I was beaten about the head by their wings, so we have had a remarkable exhibition of their various methods of offence.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Without offence did I tell yer to go to 'ell?

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

While earnestly wishing to erase from his mind the trace of my former offence, I had stamped on that tenacious surface another and far deeper impression, I had burnt it in.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Two weeks had passed since Martin had seen him, and he vainly cudgelled his brains for some cause of offence.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Save in the Stranger’s Room, no talking is, under any circumstances, allowed, and three offences, if brought to the notice of the committee, render the talker liable to expulsion.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Risk anything rather than her displeasure; and if you find it likely to be raised by your coming to us again, which I should think exceedingly probable, stay quietly at home, and be satisfied that we shall take no offence.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Anne had always thought such a style of intercourse highly imprudent; but she had ceased to endeavour to check it, from believing that, though there were on each side continual subjects of offence, neither family could now do without it.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)