minor offence — a crime or wrongdoing that is considered relatively unimportant or less serious, typically punishable by a fine or short imprisonment
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a crime or wrongdoing that is considered relatively unimportant or less serious, typically punishable by a fine or short imprisonment
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈmaɪnər əˈfens/
Example Sentences
- The judge was lenient because it was just a minor offence and the defendant's first time in court.
- My grandmother was arrested for a minor offence - she fed pigeons in the park where it's prohibited!
- He thought downloading music illegally was just a minor offence until he received a hefty fine.
minor offence
NOUN[/ˈmaɪnər əˈfens/]
a crime or wrongdoing that is considered relatively unimportant or less serious, typically punishable by a fine or short imprisonment
He got fined for jaywalking — just a minor offence, but still a ticket.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Minor derives from Latin minus meaning 'less' or 'smaller,' while offence comes from Latin offendere meaning 'to strike against' or 'to displease.' Together, the phrase denotes a legal violation of lesser severity or gravity compared to more serious infractions.
Breakdown
minor (Latin minus: smaller, less) + offence (Latin offendere: to strike against, to violate). The compound describes a transgression of reduced legal consequence.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The judge was lenient because it was just a minor offence and the defendant's first time in court.”
“My grandmother was arrested for a minor offence - she fed pigeons in the park where it's prohibited!”
“He thought downloading music illegally was just a minor offence until he received a hefty fine.”
“The police officer let him off with a warning for the minor offence of walking his pet iguana without a leash.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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