Word family noun offense/offense offender offensive offensiveness adjective offensive ≠ inoffensive offended offending verb offend adverb offensively
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishoffendof‧fend /əˈfend/ ●●○ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]OFFEND to make someone angry or upset by doing or saying something that they think is rude, unkind etc His remarks deeply offended many Scottish people.be offended by/at something Liddy was offended by such a personal question. The careful language is designed not to offend.2 [transitive]BAD to seem bad or unacceptable to someone A solution must be found that doesn’t offend too many people. Some of these new buildings really offend the eye (=look very ugly).3 [intransitive] formalSCC to commit a crime or crimes Many of the young men here are likely to offend again.4 [intransitive, transitive] formalOFFEND to be against people’s feelings of what is morally acceptableoffend against Broadcasters have a responsibility not to offend against good taste and decency.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
offend• He didn't speak during the meeting for fear of saying something that might offend.• The parole board felt that Harris was unlikely to offend again.• Some people are offended by swearing on television.• Because these would offend canons of justice which find acceptance among a large proportion of the population.• I wondered if I had offended him in some way.• He stood immobile, and I wondered if I had said something to offend him.• Jenny felt confused by Matt's behavior - had she done something to offend him?• She stopped mid-sentence, anxious not to offend him.• He is a sensitive man, and it not difficult to offend his sensibilities.• The programme contains scenes that my offend older viewers.• If Montrose openly endorsed Kirkton, and carried his re-election, he might gravely offend some of his own friends.• The risk was that I would offend the equity department, which would then try to have me fired.• Garbage blowing on the sidewalk would offend them as much as would a dully designed highrise.be offended by/at something• Are shoppers really going to be offended by a ponytail?• They need not be exaggerated by anyone who, for whatever reasons, is offended by it.• The rest of the disciples were offended by it and expressed disapproval.• Indeed, they could be offended by it.• We are offended by reports which contradict our views; they require a total structural shift in our understanding of marriage.• True, some people are offended by swearing on television.• So, uh, he was offended by that.• Or should I be offended by the implicit ethnic slur?offend against• Broadcasters have a responsibility not to offend against good taste and decency.From Longman Business Dictionaryoffendof‧fend /əˈfend/ verb1[intransitive]LAW to do something that is a crimeWhat can be done to stop criminals offending again?2[intransitive, transitive] to make someone angry or upsetThe advertisement was never intended to offend anyone. —offended adjectiveMany sales personnel would be offended if sales forecasts were made without their input.→ See Verb tableOrigin offend (1300-1400) Old French offendre, from Latin offendere “to strike against, offend” 