v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Offended; p. pr. & vb. n. Offending. ] [ OF. offendre, L. offendere, offensum; ob (see Ob-) + fendere (in comp.) to thrust, dash. See Defend. ] 1. To strike against; to attack; to assail. [ Obs. ] Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To displease; to make angry; to affront. [ 1913 Webster ]

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city. Prov. xviii. 19. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To be offensive to; to harm; to pain; to annoy; as, strong light offends the eye; to offend the conscience. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To transgress; to violate; to sin against. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Marry, sir, he hath offended the law. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Script.) To oppose or obstruct in duty; to cause to stumble; to cause to sin or to fall. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Who hath you misboden or offended. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out . . . And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off. Matt. v. 29, 3O. [ 1913 Webster ]

Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them. Ps. cxix. 165. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To transgress the moral or divine law; to commit a crime; to stumble; to sin. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. James ii. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

If it be a sin to covet honor,
I am the most offending soul alive. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cause dislike, anger, or vexation; to displease. [ 1913 Webster ]

I shall offend, either to detain or give it. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To offend against, to do an injury or wrong to; to commit an offense against. “We have offended against the Lord already.” 2 Chron. xxviii. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An offender. [ R. ] Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who offends; one who violates any law, divine or human; a wrongdoer. [ 1913 Webster ]

I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders. 1 Kings i. 21. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A woman who offends. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]