offense
[ uh-fens or, for 7-9, aw-fens, of-ens ]
/ əˈfɛns or, for 7-9, ˈɔ fɛns, ˈɒf ɛns /
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noun
SYNONYMS FOR offense
7 aggression.
VIDEO FOR OFFENSE
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For all those apology-givers out there, listen up! These words will cancel out any apology you're trying to give.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!
In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”
Question 1 of 7
The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.
Also British, of·fence .
Origin of offense
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English offence, offense; in part from Middle French offens, from Latin offēnsus “collision, knock,” equivalent to offend(ere) (see offend) + -tus suffix of verb action; in part from Middle French offense, ultimately from Latin offēnsa, feminine past participle of offendere
synonym study for offense
1, 2. See crime.
OTHER WORDS FROM offense
self-of·fense, nounWords nearby offense
offcut, off-duty, Offenbach, offence, offend, offense, offenseless, offensive, offer, offer document, offering
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for offense
Idioms and Phrases with offense
offense
see no offense; take offense.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.