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offend

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verb British English pronunciation: offend /əˈfend/ 
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theyoffend
he/she/itoffends
present participleoffending
past tenseoffended
past participleoffended
  1. 1
    [transitive] to make someone upset and angry by doing or saying something

    They avoided saying anything that might offend their audience.

    The chairman did not seem offended by the criticism.

  2. 2
    [intransitive] to commit a crime

    Over half the prisoners released had offended again within a year.

  3. 3
    [intransitive/transitive] formal to break a law or rule, or to do something against your principles

    We will not publish material that may offend the sensibilities of our readers.

    offend against:

    legislation that offends against common sense

derived word

offended

adjective

We feel both saddened and offended.

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