offend
/ə'fend/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (Transitive):
- To cause hurt feelings, resentment, or displeasure; to insult or upset someone.
- To cause a feeling of disgust, shock, or revulsion.
- To violate or break (a law, rule, principle, or promise).
Verb (Intransitive):
- To commit a sin or transgression; to do something wrong.
- To cause displeasure or annoyance.
Usage and Examples
- Transitive Verb (Hurt Feelings):
- His rude comment offended many people at the meeting.
- I didn't mean to offend you with my joke.
- Transitive Verb (Cause Disgust):
- The graphic violence in the film offended some viewers.
- The smell from the factory offends the senses.
- Transitive Verb (Violate a Rule/Law):
- The new policy offends the principles of free speech.
- His actions offend against common decency.
- Intransitive Verb:
- He is quick to take offense, so be careful not to offend.
- To offend against the law is to risk punishment.
Advanced Usage
- "to offend against": This phrasal construction is used to specify the principle, law, or sensibility that is violated.
- The dictator's regime offended against every notion of human rights.
- "easily offended": Describes a person who takes offense readily.
- She is easily offended, so you must choose your words carefully.
Variants and Related Words
- Offender (n): A person who commits an illegal act or a transgression.
- The offender was given a warning by the police.
- Offensive (adj): Causing someone to feel deeply hurt, upset, or angry; disgusting; also, relating to an attack.
- He made an offensive remark. (causing hurt)
- The army launched an offensive. (military attack)
- Offensively (adv): In an offensive manner.
- He behaved offensively.
Synonyms
- Upset: To make someone unhappy, disappointed, or worried.
- Insult: To speak to or treat with disrespect or scorn.
- Outrage: To arouse fierce anger, shock, or indignation.
- Violate: To break or fail to comply with (a rule or formal agreement).
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Offend against: To sin against or violate (a principle, law, or standard of behavior).
- The company's practices offend against environmental regulations.
Related Idioms
- Give offense: To cause someone to feel hurt or angry.
- I hope my words did not give offense.
- Take offense: To feel hurt, insulted, or resentful.
- He took offense at her suggestion that he was lazy.
Verb
- hurt the feelings of
- She hurt me when she did not include me among her guests
- This remark really bruised my ego
- strike with disgust or revulsion
- The scandalous behavior of this married woman shocked her friends
- act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises
- offend all laws of humanity
- violate the basic laws or human civilization
- break a law
- break a promise
- cause to feel resentment or indignation
- Her tactless remark offended me