of ‧ fend /əˈfend/ BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : OFFENSE/OFFENSE , ↑ offender , ↑ offensive , ↑ offensiveness ; adjective : ↑ offensive ≠ ↑ inoffensive , ↑ offended , ↑ offending ; verb : ↑ offend ; adverb : ↑ offensively ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: offendre , from Latin offendere 'to strike against, offend' ]
1 . [intransitive and transitive] 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] 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] formal to commit a crime or crimes:
Many of the young men here are likely to offend again.
4 . [intransitive and transitive] formal to be against people’s feelings of what is morally acceptable
offend against
Broadcasters have a responsibility not to offend against good taste and decency.