Offence definition and meaning

Offence definition: An offence is a crime that breaks a particular law and requires a particular punishment . | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples

Definition of ’offence’

Word Frequency


offence


(


əf

e

ns



)

Word forms:


plural


offences



language note:

The spelling

offense

is used in American English. The pronunciation

(



ɔ

fense


)

is used for meaning

[sense 3

]


.



language note:

The spelling

offense

is used in American English.


1.


countable noun

An

offence

is a crime that

breaks

a particular law and

requires

a particular

punishment

.


Thirteen people have been charged with treason–an offence which can carry the death
penalty.


In Britain the Consumer Protection Act makes it a criminal offence to sell goods
that are unsafe.


2.


variable noun


Offence

or an

offence

is

behaviour

which causes people to be

upset

or

embarrassed

.


The book might be published without creating offense.


Privilege determined by birth is an offence to any modern sense of justice.


3.


singular noun


[


the


NOUN


]

In sports such as American

football

or

basketball

,

the offense

is the

team

which has

possession

of the ball and is

trying

to

score

.



[

US

]


Between plays the coach was talking to the offense in the huddle.


4.


See


cause offence


5.


See


no offence


6.


See


take offence


More Synonyms of

offence


COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary

. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Video: pronunciation of

offence

Word Frequency


offence


in British English


or


US


offense


(


əˈfɛns



)


noun


1.

a violation or

breach

of a law,

custom

, rule, etc


2.


a.

any public

wrong

or

crime


b.

a nonindictable crime

punishable

on

summary


conviction


3.


4.


See


give offence


5.


See


take offence


6.

a source of annoyance, displeasure, or

anger


7.


8.


archaic


9.


See


the offense


Collins English Dictionary

. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms



offenceless


(

ofˈfenceless

)


or


US


offenseless


(

ofˈfenseless

)


adjective

Word Frequency


offence


in American English


(


əˈfɛns



)


noun


British


offense

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Examples of ‘offence’ in a sentence

offence


Read more…


Selling snowdrops taken from the

wild

is a

criminal

offence.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2017

)


No

details

of the offences were given at court.


The Sun



(

2016

)


Her

husband

had

admitted

the same offence earlier.


The Sun



(

2016

)


We have

reached

a good

balance

between offence and

defence

.


The Sun



(

2016

)


These offences carry a

maximum


penalty

of two years in

prison

.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2016

)


MPs

said

that the public had a right to

know

the

identities

of those

convicted

of the most

serious

offences.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2016

)


She said that the

extra

powers being considered would be to

deal

with common offences including using a

mobile


telephone

at the

wheel

and

speeding

.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2017

)


The

journal


suggested

that she had

benefited

from a

fictitious


post

, which is an offence under French law.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2017

)


The maximum penalty for the offence is life imprisonment.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2013

)


Will the clampdown on

minor

speeding offences

reduce


road


deaths

?


Times, Sunday Times



(

2008

)

Show more…


My language was

poorly


chosen

and has caused a great deal of offence.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2015

)


She admitted

committing

the offence but

insisted

that she

simply


forgot

about the

tests

.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2007

)


People who committed offences younger are

continuing

on into their old

age

.


The Sun



(

2015

)


The law is

clear

that to do so would be a criminal offence.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2009

)


The

club

were found not

guilty

of

alleged

offences over

payments

to two other players.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2016

)


The force

classified

the offences as

antisocial

behaviour rather than as a crime.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2009

)


There is no time between offence and defence.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2014

)


The move will

halt

all

trials

for offences carrying a maximum

sentence

of

ten

years or less.


The Sun



(

2008

)


We have long

argued

that sentences for serious offences should be more

consistent

and

rigorous

.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2006

)


The

current

law

limits

offences to

drivers

whose

performance

is

impaired

by the use of

illegal

drugs.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2009

)


We are

sorry

if this

suggestion

caused any offence.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2012

)


Many are

repeat

offenders whose second offence would not have been committed if their

resettlement

after the first had been

effective

.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2010

)


An offence under the Act makes it a crime to carry on a business with a

seriously


misleading

name.


Times, Sunday Times



(

2009

)

COBUILD Collocations

offence


accuse of an offence

Trends of

offence

View usage for:

In other languages

offence


British English

:


offence


əˈfɛns

/

NOUN

An

offence

is a crime.
He has committed several offences.


American English

:


offense


əˈfɛns

/


Arabic

:

إسَاءَةٌ


Brazilian Portuguese

:

ofensa


Chinese

:


犯罪


Croatian

:

prekršaj


Czech

:

trestný čin


Danish

:

fornærmelse


Dutch

:

overtreding


European Spanish

:


infracción


Finnish

:

rikos


French

:


délit


German

:


Vergehen


Greek

:

αδίκημα


Italian

:


reato


Japanese

:

違反


Korean

:

위반


Norwegian

:

straffbar handling


Polish

:

obraza


European Portuguese

:


ofensa


Romanian

:

delict


Russian

:

оскорбление


Latin American Spanish

:


infracción


Swedish

:

brott


Thai

:

การกระทำที่ผิดกฎหมาย, ความผิด


Turkish

:

saldırı


Ukrainian

:

злочин


Vietnamese

:

sự vi phạm


Translate your text for free

Nearby words of

offence

Related terms of

offence

Source

Definition of

offence

from the

Collins English Dictionary

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Question:

1

Score:


0

/

5


fir


or


fur

?

Drag the correct answer into the box.
fir
fur


It was a thick wood of


and oak trees.


reek


or


wreak

?

Drag the correct answer into the box.
wreak
reek


Violent storms could


havoc on the French Riviera.


knight


or


night

?

Drag the correct answer into the box.
knight
night


Who is the


in shining armour?


taught


or


taut

?

Drag the correct answer into the box.
taut
taught


The clothes line has been pulled


.


carat


or


carrot

?

Which version is correct?


Your score:

May 01, 2021

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the Muse of comedy and pastoral poetry


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Scrabble score
for ‘offence’:


15

1 2 3

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