an act of wanton cruelty or violence; any gross violation of law or decency.
2.
anything that strongly offends, insults, or affronts the feelings.
3.
a powerful feeling of resentment or anger aroused by something perceived as an injury, insult, or injustice: Outrage seized the entire nation at the news of the attempted assassination.
–verb (used with object)
4.
to subject to grievous violence or indignity.
5.
to anger or offend; make resentful; shock: I am outraged by his whole attitude.
6.
to offend against (right, decency, feelings, etc.) grossly or shamelessly: Such conduct outrages our normal sense of decency.
7.
to rape.
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME < OF outrage, ultrage, equiv. to outr(er) to push beyond bounds (deriv. of outre beyond < L ultrā) + -age-age]
1290, "violent behavior, excess, extravagance," from O.Fr. outrage (12c.), earlier oltrage (11c.), from V.L. *ultraticum "excess," from L. ultra "beyond." Etymologically, "the passing beyond reasonable bounds" in any sense; meaning narrowed in Eng. toward violent excesses because of folk etymology from out + rage. Of injuries to feelings, principles, etc., from 1769. The verb is from 1303 in the sense of "to go to excess;" 1590 with meaning "do violence to." Outrageous is from c.1325; modern teen slang usages of it unwittingly approach the original and etymological sense of the word.
strike with disgust or revulsion; "The scandalous behavior of this married woman shocked her friends" [syn: shock]
2.
violate the sacred character of a place or language; "desecrate a cemetery"; "violate the sanctity of the church"; "profane the name of God" [syn: desecrate]
3.
force (someone) to have sex against their will; "The woman was raped on her way home at night" [syn: rape]
Af*front"\, n. [Cf. F. affront, fr. affronter.]1. An encounter either friendly or hostile. [Obs.] I walked about, admired of all, and dreaded On hostile ground, none daring my affront. --Milton. 2. Contemptuous or rude treatment which excites or justifies resentment; marked disrespect; a purposed indignity; insult. Offering an affront to our understanding. --Addison. 3. An offense to one's self-respect; shame. --Arbuthnot. Syn: Affront, Insult, Outrage. Usage: An affront is a designed mark of disrespect, usually in the presence of others. An insult is a personal attack either by words or actions, designed to humiliate or degrade. An outrage is an act of extreme and violent insult or abuse. An affront piques and mortifies; an insult irritates and provokes; an outrage wounds and injures. Captious persons construe every innocent freedom into an affront. When people are in a state of animosity, they seek opportunities of offering each other insults. Intoxication or violent passion impels men to the commission of outrages. --Crabb.
Ou`tr['e]"\, a. [F., p.p. of outer to exaggerate, fr. L. ultra beyond. See Outrage.] Out of the common course or limits; extravagant; bizarre; as, an outr['e] costume. My first mental development had in it much of the uncommon -- even much of the outr['e]. --E. A. Poe.
Out"rage\, n. [F. outrage; OF. outre, oltre, beyond (F. outre, L. ultra) + -age, as, in courage, voyage. See Ulterior.]1. Injurious violence or wanton wrong done to persons or things; a gross violation of right or decency; excessive abuse; wanton mischief; gross injury. --Chaucer. He wrought great outrages, wasting all the country. --Spenser. 2. Excess; luxury. [Obs.] --Chaucer. Syn: Affront; insult; abuse. See Affront.
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Audio Help [out-reyj] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, -raged, -rag·ing. 
