Dictionary

transgress en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /tɹænzˈɡɹɛs/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. (transitive) To exceed or overstep some limit or boundary.
   • surpassing common faith, transgressing nature's law 1700, [John] Dryden, “Theodore and Honoria, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
   • They sometimes transgressed colonial boundaries, forming border communities with Native Americans and escaped black slaves. 2006, Matt Wray, Not Quite White, page 17:
2. (transitive) To act in violation of some law.
   • There were some young men who transgressed the ḥerem and danced with foreign women [i.e. non-relatives] and forbidden women. 2024, David Golinkin, “Is Mixed Dancing Really Forbidden At Weddings?”, in Responsa in a Moment, volume 4, page 240:
   • For man will hearken to his glozing lies, And easily transgress the sole command. 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:
3. (construed with against, intransitive) To commit an offense; to sin.
   • Why give you peace to this untemperate beast That hath so long transgressed you? c. 1608–1611, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “The Maid’s Tragedy”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1679, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
4. (intransitive, of the sea) To spread over land along a shoreline; to inundate.

Forms

Deriveds

untransgressed · transgressable · transgressingly · intransgressible

Relateds

transgressor · transgression · transgressible · transgressive

Synonyms

transcend · surpass · forpass (to exceed or overstep)

Translations (41)

la praevaricō (to commit an offense, to sin) · fr pécher (to commit an offense, to sin) · sv överträda (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · egy t:h-rd-D54 (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · gd peacaich (to act in violation of some law) · fr transgresser (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · pl zgrzeszyć (to commit an offense, to sin) · pl przekroczyć (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · mi takahi (to act in violation of some law) · mi hara (to commit an offense, to sin) · nb overskride (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · zdj ushia (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · ta மீறு (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · ro greși (to act in violation of some law) · bg прегрешавам (to commit an offense, to sin) · bg нарушавам (to act in violation of some law) · de überschreiten (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · es transgredir (to act in violation of some law) · egy t:h-rd-D54 (to commit an offense, to sin) · sv överskrida (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · pl naruszyć (to act in violation of some law) · ta மீறு (to act in violation of some law) · pt transgredir (to act in violation of some law) · pl pogwałcać (to act in violation of some law) · nb overtre (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · ru преступа́ть (to act in violation of some law) · pl łamać (to act in violation of some law) · fr transgresser (to act in violation of some law) · it trasgredire (to act in violation of some law) · sv äverträda (to act in violation of some law) · zdj ushilia (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · bg престъпвам (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · cs přestoupit (to act in violation of some law) · pl złamać (to act in violation of some law) · pl grzeszyć (to commit an offense, to sin) · pl naruszać (to act in violation of some law) · pl przekraczać (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · ga ciontaigh (to commit an offense, to sin) · fr franchir (to exceed or overstep some limit or boundary) · got 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to commit an offense, to sin) · pl pogwałcić (to act in violation of some law)