[of.fend] vb [ME, fr. MF offendre, fr. L offendere to strike against, offend, fr. ob- against + -fendere to strike--more at ob-, defend] vi (14c) 1 a: to transgress the moral or divine law: sin "if it be a sin to covet honor, I am the most ~ing soul alive --Shak." b: to violate a law or rule: do wrong "~ against the law"
2. a: to cause difficulty, discomfort, or injury "took off his shoe and removed the ~ing pebble" b: to cause dislike, anger, or vexation "thoughtless words that ~ needlessly" ~ vt 1 a: violate, transgress b: to cause pain to: hurt
2. obs: to cause to sin or fall
3: to cause to feel vexation or resentment usu. by violation of what is proper or fitting "was ~ed by their language" -- of.fend.er n syn offend, outrage, affront, insult mean to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment. offend need not imply an intentional hurting but it may indicate merely a violation of the victim's sense of what is proper or fitting "hoped that my remarks had not offended her". outrage implies offending beyond endurance and calling forth extreme feelings "outraged by their accusations". affront implies treating with deliberate rudeness or contemptuous indifference to courtesy "deeply affronted by his callousness". insult suggests deliberately causing humiliation, hurt pride, or shame "managed to insult every guest at the party".