( BrE ) ( AmE offense ) noun
1 illegal act
ADJECTIVE
▪ grave , heinous , major , serious
▪ lesser , minor , petty , trivial
▪ alleged
▪ first
▪ federal ( AmE ), statutory ( BrE )
▪ arrestable ( BrE ), bookable (in football/soccer) ( BrE ), capital , firing ( AmE ), impeachable ( AmE ), imprisonable ( BrE ), indictable ( BrE ), punishable , sackable ( BrE )
▪
The ~ is punishable by up to three months' imprisonment.
▪ criminal , disciplinary ( BrE )
▪ driving ( BrE ), political , sex , sexual , terrorist
▪
Motorists may be fined on the spot for driving ~s such as speeding.
▪ felony ( AmE )
▪ non-violent ( esp. AmE ), violent
▪ drug , drug-related
VERB + OFFENCE/OFFENSE
▪ be , constitute
▪ commit
PREPOSITION
▪ ~ against
▪
~s against public decency
2 hurt feelings
VERB + OFFENCE/OFFENSE
▪ cause , give
▪ take
PREPOSITION
▪ ~ at
▪
He takes ~ at the slightest joke against him.
▪ ~ to
▪
I didn't mean to give ~ to anyone.
PHRASES
▪ no ~ , no ~ intended , no ~ meant
▪
No ~ intended, but are you sure your calculations are right?
3 ( AmE ) attacking players; attacking play
ADJECTIVE
▪ opposing
▪
the ability to disrupt opposing ~s
▪ balanced
VERB + OFFENSE
▪ spark
▪
The move didn't spark the ~ as hoped.
▪ initiate
▪
competent passers who can initiate the ~
▪ disrupt
▪
their ability to disrupt the ~