ETYM Old Eng. breke, breche, AS. brice, gebrice, gebrece (in comp.), from brecan to break; akin to Dan. braek, Mid. High Germ. breche, gap, breach. Related to Break, Brake (the instrument), Brack a break.
(Homonym: breech).
(Irregular plural: breaches).
1. A failure to perform some promised act or obligation.
2. An opening (especially a gap in a dike or fortification).
Variant (chiefly British) of offense.
ETYM French, from Latin offensa. Related to Offend.
1. The action of attacking the enemy; SYN. offence, offensive.
2. (Sports) The team that has the ball (or puck) and is trying to score.
3. (Sports) That part of a team that specializes in offensive maneuvers.
4. (Stress on second syllable) Umbrage or anger; to feel offended.
ETYM Old Fren. trespas, French trépas death. Related to Trespass.
1. A wrongful interference with the possession of property (personal property as well as realty), or the action instituted to recover damages.
2. Entry to another's property without right or permission; SYN. encroachment, violation, intrusion.
Going on to the land of another without authority. In law, a landowner has the right to eject a trespasser by the use of reasonable force and can sue for any damage caused.
A trespasser injured on another's land cannot usually recover damages from the landowner unless the latter can be held to have deliberately done him or her some positive injury.
ETYM Latin violatio: cf. French violation.
An act that disregards an agreement or a right; SYN. infringement.