offence
B2Neutral to formal, especially in legal contexts; also common in everyday and journalistic usage.
Definition
Meaning
A violation of a law, rule, or social code; an act that is wrong or illegal.
1. The feeling of being upset, annoyed, or resentful due to a perceived insult. 2. (Sports) The team or players trying to score or attack; the act of attacking in a game.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word functions on a spectrum from legal transgression to personal hurt feelings. In sports, it is a domain-specific term opposite to 'defence'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'offence' is the standard British spelling; 'offense' is the standard American spelling. Pronunciation differs slightly (see IPA).
Connotations
Identical in connotation across both varieties.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties, with spelling adaptation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
commit + offencetake + offence + at + somethingbe + an offence + against + somethingcause + offence + to + someoneVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No offence, but...”
- “Take offence”
- “Give offence”
- “A hanging offence”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to breaches of corporate policy, ethics, or regulations (e.g., 'The data leak was a serious offence against company policy.').
Academic
Used in legal, criminological, and sociological discussions of deviance and law (e.g., 'The study categorised the offence by severity.').
Everyday
Commonly used for minor rules or social slights (e.g., 'Parking there is a traffic offence.' / 'I hope I didn't cause offence.').
Technical
Precise classification in legal statutes (e.g., 'The offence falls under Section 2 of the Theft Act.').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The new policy is likely to offend some residents.
American English
- The ad campaign offended a number of viewers.
adverb
British English
- He gestured offensively during the argument.
American English
- The comedian's joke was taken offensively by the audience.
adjective
British English
- He made some highly offensive remarks.
American English
- The smell from the plant was offensive.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She took offence when he forgot her name.
- Stealing is a bad offence.
- The player received a yellow card for a serious offence.
- I meant no offence by my comment.
- Committing a criminal offence can result in a prison sentence.
- The new law created a strict liability offence for polluters.
- The barrister argued that the mens rea for the statutory offence was not present.
- His brusque manner gave widespread offence at the diplomatic reception.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
An OFFender commits an OFFence. Both start with 'OFF'.
Conceptual Metaphor
MORALITY IS A LINE / LAW IS A CONTAINER: 'Crossing the line', 'stepping over the boundary', 'breaching the law'.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate 'offence' as 'оффензива' (military offensive). For 'take offence', use 'обижаться'. For legal 'offence', use 'правонарушение' or 'преступление' (depending on severity).
Common Mistakes
- Using the verb 'do' instead of 'commit' with 'offence' (e.g., 'He did an offence' is incorrect).
- Confusing 'offence' (noun) with 'offensive' (adjective/noun).
- Misspelling as 'offense' in British English contexts.
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'offence' NOT typically refer to a legal violation?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no difference in meaning. 'Offence' is the standard spelling in British English, while 'offense' is standard in American English.
Yes, in phrases like 'take offence' or 'cause offence', it refers to the feeling of being upset or insulted.
Yes, when referring to a specific illegal act (e.g., 'He committed several offences'). It is uncountable when referring to the general concept or the feeling of being upset (e.g., 'No offence was intended').
The opposite is 'defence' (UK) / 'defense' (US), referring to the team or players trying to stop the other team from scoring.