different between offense vs felony

English

Alternative forms

• (British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand standard spelling) offence

Etymology

From Middle English offence, from Old French offense, from Latin offensa (“a striking against; displeasure; injury”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??f?ns/
• (team sports senses, especially in the U.S.): IPA^(key): /??f.?ns/, /??f.?ns/)
• Hyphenation: of?fense
• Rhymes: -?ns

Noun

offense (countable and uncountable, plural offenses) (American spelling)

1. The act of offending:
   1. a crime or sin
   2. an affront, insult or injury.
      • 1680, John Dryden, Ovid's Epistles

        I have ventured to give my opinion on this subject against the authority of two great men, but I hope without offence either to their memories.

2. The state of being offended or displeased; anger; displeasure.
3. (team sports) A strategy and tactics employed when in position to score; contrasted with defense.
4. (team sports) The portion of a team dedicated to scoring when in position to do so; contrasted with defense.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:offense

Antonyms

• defense (US), defence (Commonwealth)

Derived terms

Related terms

• offensive
• offend
• offender

Translations

See also

• crime
• sin

Anagrams

• seen off

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?.f??s/

Verb

offense

1. first-person singular present indicative of offenser
2. third-person singular present indicative of offenser
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of offenser
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of offenser
5. second-person singular imperative of offenser

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /of?fen.se/, [?f?f??s??]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /of?fen.se/, [?f?f?ns?]

Adjective

off?nse

1. vocative masculine singular of off?nsus

English

Alternative forms

• fellonie

Etymology

From Middle English felony, felonie, from Old French felonie (“evil, immoral deed”), from felon (“evildoer”). Ultimately of Proto-Germanic origin. More at felon.

Pronunciation

• enPR: f?'l?-n?, IPA^(key): /?f?.l?.ni/

Noun

felony (plural felonies)

1. (US, law) A serious criminal offense, which, under United States federal law, is punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year or by death.

Related terms

• felon
• felonious
• felonize

Translations

See also

• misdemeanor (less serious crime)