offence — an illegal act; a crime
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: an illegal act; a crime
Pronunciation (IPA): /əˈfens/
Example Sentences
- My cat committed the ultimate offence - knocking my coffee onto my laptop.
- He was charged with a traffic offence for speeding.
- I hope you won't take offence, but your singing sounds like a dying whale.
offence
NOUN[/əˈfens/]
an illegal act; a crime
Caught committing a crime
Strong defence comes at great expense!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Latin offendere, meaning 'to strike against' or 'to attack.' The term evolved through Old French and Middle English, gradually shifting from its literal sense of physical assault to the figurative meaning of causing displeasure or insulting someone.
Breakdown
ob- (against) + fendere (to strike) = literally 'to strike against.' The prefix ob- denotes opposition or confrontation, while fendere means to strike or thrust.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat committed the ultimate offence - knocking my coffee onto my laptop.”
“He was charged with a traffic offence for speeding.”
“I hope you won't take offence, but your singing sounds like a dying whale.”
“The company apologized to avoid giving offence to customers.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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