offend

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Related to offends: flouting

offend against

1. To affront, betray, or violate the principles or laws of someone or something. Anyone who offends against the moral codes of our town will face strict, merciless punishment. Pardon me, madam. I did not mean to offend against you or your fair virtues. Police have been given the authority to arrest anyone offending against this law without a warrant or a trial.

2. To commit a sexual crime against someone. The team doctor had systematically offended against young gymnasts for nearly 20 years before he was finally arrested.

See also: offend

offend (one) with (something)

To instill or instigate a feeling of anger, displeasure, or hurt in one because of something one did or said. I think you may have offended our clients with your off-color remarks. Please don't offend my grandparents with any rude behavior, OK?

See also: offend

offend against someone or something

to anger or affront someone or something. We do not wish to offend against anyone. He didn't realize that he offended against their cultural values.

See also: offend

offend someone with something

to anger or affront someone with something. Don't offend us with your bad jokes. I offended Ralph with my constant niggling.

See also: offend

References in classic literature ?

The more beautiful the flower is, the more does one offend God in despising it.

View in context

Nay, ma'am," answered she, "to be sure, I would sooner cut out my tongue than offend your ladyship.

View in context

Franklin Blake that his last letter--evidently intended to offend her-- has not succeeded in accomplishing the object of the writer.

View in context

Senior police chiefs have reportedly told officers that they must not wear their black and white with thin blue line union flag on their uniforms while paying tribute to fallen comrades, in case the union flag offends anyone.

Argument is flagging

The Opposition should be able to get up and attack the government no matter how much this offends the Prime Minister.

It hurts but right to offend should stay

A man offends, gets arrested, sent to court, probably a few court hearings, gets a slap on the wrist, told to do some community work, offends again, goes through the same process again but has a fine added, offends again so gets a suspended sentence, offends again and gets sent to prison.

Is this British justice? Mailbag letters also appear online at www.examiner.co.uk/views-and-blogs/reader-letters Mailbag

It's hypocritical to say that the flag of the country you have chosen to live in offends you.

Pen points

I don't know what offends people most, but I know what offends me.

Letter: Your Say - No offence, I hope

1 : to hurt the feelings of or insult <She uses language that offends people.

offend

A Russian teenager wants her public school to stop using a biology textbook that includes study of evolution, because she says it offends her religious beliefs.

Russian lawsuit challenges evolution study in schools

If I feel that I have offended someone, I will apologize; but if someone offends me, and believe me, as a female in the all-male world that I live in, it happens all the time, it's how I choose to deal with it and I say it's their problem, not mine, and I will not let someone else determine how I feel.

PUBLIC FORUM

Come on England is what I say, and if that offends anyone from Land's End to John O' Groats, from Brazil to Trinidad and Tobago then, frankly, tough.

Letter: The BIG issue - Beeb's foul play

The Red Cross has banned Christmas decorations in their shops - in case it offends people of other faiths.