# offense

Pronunciation: say "uh-FENS" /əˈfɛns/

## Noun

1. An act that breaks a law or moral code; a crime or sin.
   - Simple: Something you do that breaks a law or moral rule.
   - _The preacher warned his congregation that pride was an offense against God._
   - _The judge considered it a minor offense and dismissed the case._
2. A feeling of being hurt, angry, or displeased by something said or done.
   - Simple: The hurt or angry feeling you get when someone is rude or unfair to you.
   - _Her remark caused great offense among the guests._
   - _He quickly apologized, hoping to avoid giving any offense._
3. An act, remark, or slight that insults or wrongs another person.
   - Simple: A rude action or remark that hurts or insults someone.
   - _The cartoon was published despite warnings that it would be an offense to many readers._
   - _She regarded the snub as a deliberate offense._
4. The group of players on a team responsible for scoring while in position to do so.
   - Simple: The players on a team whose job is to score points.
   - _A strong offense kept the ball moving down the field all afternoon._
   - _The team's offense struggled to score against a disciplined secondary._
5. The strategy and tactics a team uses while it is in position to score.
   - Simple: The plan a team uses to try to score points.
   - _The new coach installed a fast-paced offense built around three-point shooting._
   - _A pass-heavy offense can struggle in windy conditions._

## Origin

This word came through Middle English "offence" and Old French "offense" from Latin "offensa," meaning "a striking against; displeasure; injury."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/offense (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).