Pronunciation: [əfˈɛndz] (IPA) 
The word "offends" is spelled with two "f's" instead of one, despite the fact that it is pronounced with only one "f" sound. This is because the word is derived from the Old French word "offendre", which was spelled with two "f's". Over time, the spelling of English words has evolved to reflect their etymology, even if it does not match the modern pronunciation. The IPA phonetic transcription for "offends" is /əˈfɛndz/.
The word "offends" is a verb that refers to the act of causing displeasure, annoyance, or resentment towards someone or something. When a person or action offends, it means that they have provoked feelings of irritation, anger, or dissatisfaction in others due to their behavior, words, or attitudes. This action often violates social, cultural, or moral norms, leading to a sense of disrespect, insult, or hurt.
Offense can be subjective and vary from person to person, as what may offend one individual might not offend another. The act of offending can encompass a wide range of situations, such as making derogatory comments, displaying insensitive behavior, or showing disrespect towards a person's beliefs, culture, or personal boundaries. Offending someone can also occur unintentionally, when a person unknowingly violates a social expectation or behaves in a way that others find offensive.
The consequences of offending can range from a temporary strain on relationships to more severe outcomes, including social ostracism, loss of trust, or even legal consequences in extreme cases of offensive behavior. Importantly, it is crucial to navigate social interactions with awareness and empathy, striving to avoid actions or words that may potentially offend others and seeking reconciliation when misunderstanding or harm occurs.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word offends can be traced back to the Latin term offendere, which means to strike against, stumble, or cause displeasure. It is derived from the combination of the prefix ob-, meaning against, and fendere, meaning to strike or to push. Over time, the Old French word offendre emerged, which eventually evolved into the English term offend.
