no offense

Idioms & Phrases

no offense

Please don't feel insulted, I don't mean to offend you, as in No offense, but I think you're mistaken. This expression, first recorded in 1829, generally accompanies a statement that could be regarded as insulting but is not meant to be, as in the example.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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