Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - offence

offence BrE usually offense AmE n 1 an illegal action or a crime  (Driving while drunk is a serious offence. | a parking offense) + agains  (sexual offences against children | commit an offence (=do something that is an offence)) first offence (=the first illegal thing that someone has done) | criminal offence  (Possession of stolen property is a criminal offence. | serious offence)  (serious offences under the Prevention of Terrorism Act | capital offence (=a crime for which death is the punishment) | minor offence (=one that is not very serious)) 2 behaviour which offends someone  (cause/give offence (=offend someone))  (The problem was how to get rid of her without causing offence. | mean no offence (=have no intention of offending someone))  (Don't be upset by what he said; he meant no offence.) 3 no offence spoken used to tell someone that you do not want to offend them by what you are saying  (No offense, but this cheese tastes like rubber.) 4 take offence to feel offended because of something someone has said or done  (She's always quick to take offence.) 5 formal the act of attacking  (It depends on whether it was used as a weapon of offence or defence.) 6 BrE the part of a game such as football concerned with getting points and winning  (- see also offense1)