English

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Etymology

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From Middle English transgressen, from Old French transgresser and Latin transgressus, past participle of transgredī.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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transgress (third-person singular simple present transgresses, present participle transgressing, simple past and past participle transgressed)

  1. (transitive) To exceed or overstep some limit or boundary.
    • 1700, [John] Dryden, “Theodore and Honoria, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; [], London: [] Jacob Tonson, [], →OCLC:
      surpassing common faith, transgressing nature's law
    • 2006, Matt Wray, Not Quite White, page 17:
      They sometimes transgressed colonial boundaries, forming border communities with Native Americans and escaped black slaves.
  2. (transitive) To act in violation of some law.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. [], London: [] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker []; [a]nd by Robert Boulter []; [a]nd Matthias Walker, [], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: [], London: Basil Montagu Pickering [], 1873, →OCLC:
      For man will hearken to his glozing lies, / And easily transgress the sole command.
  3. (intransitive, construed with against) To commit an offense; to sin.
  4. (intransitive, of the sea) To spread over land along a shoreline; to inundate.

Synonyms

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Translations

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