To make someone upset, hurt, or angry, often by saying or doing something they find rude or disrespectful.
From Latin "offendere" meaning "to strike against, displease," from "ob-" (against) and "fendere" (to strike). Originally it meant literally bumping or striking against something.
To offend someone is like bumping hard into their values or identity. The root image of "striking against" explains why even words can feel like a physical hit.
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