transgress

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /tɹænzˈɡɹɛs/
- Audio (Southern England): (file)
Rhymes: -ɛs

Verb

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

(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.
(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.
(intransitive, construed with against) To commit an offense; to sin.
- 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):
  Why give you peace to this untemperate beast / That hath so long transgressed you?
(intransitive, of the sea) To spread over land along a shoreline; to inundate.