offend Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb cause to feel resentment or indignation
    pique.
    • Her tactless remark offended me
  2. verb act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises
    go against; infract; violate; break; breach; transgress.
    • offend all laws of humanity
    • violate the basic laws or human civilization
    • break a law
    • break a promise
  3. verb strike with disgust or revulsion
    scandalize; appal; shock; appall; scandalise; outrage.
    • The scandalous behavior of this married woman shocked her friends
  4. verb hurt the feelings of
    spite; injure; wound; bruise; hurt.
    • She hurt me when she did not include me among her guests
    • This remark really bruised my ego

WordNet

Of*fend transitive verb
Etymology
OF. offendre, L. offendere, offensum; ob (see Ob-) + fendere (in comp.) to thrust, dash. See Defend.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Offended; present participle & verbal noun Offending
Definitions
  1. To strike against; to attack; to assail. Obs. Sir P. Sidney.
  2. To displease; to make angry; to affront.
    A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city. Prov. xviii. 19.
  3. To be offensive to; to harm; to pain; to annoy; as, strong light offends the eye; to offend the conscience.
  4. To transgress; to violate; to sin against. Obs.
    Marry, sir, he hath offended the law. Shak.
  5. (Script.) To oppose or obstruct in duty; to cause to stumble; to cause to sin or to fall. Obs.
    Who hath you misboden or offended. Chaucer.
    If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out... And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off. Matt. v. 29, 3O.
    Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them. Ps. cxix. 165.

Webster 1913