offence
- offence
- [[t]əfe̱ns[/t]]
♦♦♦
offences
(The spelling offense is used in American English. The pronunciation [[t]ɔ͟ːfens[/t]] is used for meaning 3.)
1) N-COUNT An offence is a crime that breaks a particular law and requires a particular punishment.
Thirteen people have been charged with treason - an offence which can carry the death penalty...
In Britain the Consumer Protection Act makes it a criminal offence to sell goods that are unsafe.
2) N-VAR Offence or an offence is behaviour which causes people to be upset or embarrassed.
The book might be published without creating offense...
Privilege determined by birth is an offence to any modern sense of justice.
Syn:
3)
N-SING: the N In sports such as American football or basketball,
the offense is the team which has possession of the ball and is trying to score. [AM]
Between plays the coach was talking to the offense in the huddle.
4) PHRASE: V inflects If you cause offence or give offence to someone, you say or do something rude which upsets or embarrasses them.
It says the photograph is likely cause distress and offence to the public...
We have had our differences and I'm sorry if it has caused offence.
5) CONVENTION (formulae) Some people say `no offence' to make it clear that they do not want to upset you, although what they are saying may seem rather rude.
Dad, you need a bath. No offence.
6) PHRASE: V inflects If someone takes offence at something you say or do, they feel upset, often unnecessarily, because they think you are being rude to them.
She never takes offence at anything...
Never had she seen him so tense, so quick to take offence as he had been in recent weeks.
English dictionary.
2008.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
offence — BrE usually offense AmE noun 1 (C) an illegal action or a crime: Driving while drunk is a serious offence. | a parking offense (+ against): sexual offences against children | commit an offence (=do something that is an offence) | first offence… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
offence — of‧fence [əˈfens] , offense noun 1. [countable] LAW an illegal action or a crime: • The company was not aware that it was committing an offence. • It is an offence to sell alco … Financial and business terms
offence — var of offense Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996. offence … Law dictionary
Offence — Of*fence , n. See {Offense}. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
offence — (n.) see OFFENSE (Cf. offense) … Etymology dictionary
offence — (Brit.) of·fence || É™ fens n. attack; (Sports) side that pursues (rather than defends); misdeed; insult; state of being offended; transgression (also offense) … English contemporary dictionary
offence — This is spelt ence in BrE, and offense in AmE … Modern English usage
offence — (US offense) ► NOUN 1) an illegal act; a breach of a law or rule. 2) resentment or hurt. 3) the action of making a military attack. 4) N. Amer. the attacking team in a sport … English terms dictionary
offence — [ə fens′] n. Brit. sp. of OFFENSE … English World dictionary
offence — of|fence W3 BrE offense AmE [əˈfens] n 1.) an illegal action or a crime ▪ The possession of stolen property is a criminal offence. ▪ Punishment for a first offence is a fine. ▪ His solicitor said he committed the offence because he was heavily in … Dictionary of contemporary English
offence */*/*/ — UK [əˈfens] / US noun Word forms offence : singular offence plural offences 1) [countable] a crime or illegal activity for which there is a punishment motoring/firearms/public order offences criminal offence: Killing these animals is a criminal… … English dictionary
