Basic Details
Word: Offence
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A crime or an act that breaks a rule or law, or a feeling of being hurt or insulted, as in 'to take offence'.
Synonyms: crime, wrongdoing, insult
How to Spell Offence
Syllables: of - fence
Tricky part: There are two f's, and the ending is ence, spelt like fence. Students often drop an f or write ance.
Watch out for: ofence, offance, offencce
Memory tip: Of + fence = offence. Climbing over someone's fence without asking would be an offence.
Idioms and Phrases
- take offence: to feel hurt or upset by something said or done Example: "Please don't take offence; I was only joking about your haircut."
Usage Examples
Example 1: Littering in the park is an offence, and you can be fined for it.
Example 2: Speeding is a common traffic offence on that highway.
Example 3: He meant no offence when he laughed at the story.
Fun Fact
Offence is the British spelling, used in India; American English writes offense, with an s.
Practise the CREST Way
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters to find the word that fits the sentence:
Copying someone's homework is a serious nofceef at our school.
a) offence
b) office
c) effect
d) fence
Show answer
a) offence. Seven letters with two f's, two e's and an n can only make offence.
Spell-o-Spell
Read the four words. Choose the meaning of the only correctly spelt word:
1. arest 2. penality 3. offence 4. vardict
a) the taking of someone by the police
b) the decision of a judge or jury
c) an act that breaks a law
d) a punishment for breaking a rule
Show answer
c) an act that breaks a law. Penalty has no i after the l, arrest a double r, and verdict starts ver.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word offence as used in the sentence:
Riding a scooter without a helmet is an offence under Indian traffic law.
a) crime
b) duty
c) custom
d) reward
Show answer
a) crime. Breaking the law is a crime, though a small one in this case.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is a traffic offence?
a) using an indicator
b) jumping a red light
c) stopping at a zebra crossing
d) wearing a seat belt
Show answer
b) jumping a red light
2. If you take offence at a joke, you ____.
a) feel hurt by it
b) tell it again
c) write it down
d) laugh loudly at it
Show answer
a) feel hurt by it
