English

Etymology

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛnd

Verb

1. To hurt the feelings of; to displease; to make angry; to insult.

   Your accusations offend me deeply.

2. To be offensive to; to harm; to pain; to annoy.

   Strong light offends the eye.

   to offend the conscience

3. To transgress or violate a law or moral requirement.
4. transitive obsolete To strike against; to attack; to assail; to cause pain.
   • 1961, Jean-Paul Sartre, David Pellauer, Notebooks for an Ethics, University of Chicago Press, Page 221,

     "Since I am his, my pain, which I propose to him, is his pain, It cannot offend him."

5. transitive obsolete To oppose or obstruct in duty;
   • 1977, Council of Legal Education, West Indian Law Journal, Council of Legal Education, Page 98,

     "[...] it would offend and obstruct the doing of justice were the prosecution to be bound by it so as to hamper the judge in his task of ascertaining the truth."

6. To cause to stumble; to cause to sin or to fall.
   • 1896, Adolphus Frederick Schauffler, Select Notes on the International Sunday School Lessons, W. A. Wilde company, Page 161,

     "If any man offend not (stumbles not, is not tripped up) in word, the same is a perfect man."

   • New Testament, Matthew 5:29 (Sermon on the Mount),

     "If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out."

7. To feel or become offended.

   Don't worry. I don't offend easily.

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