outrage

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   An excessively violent or vicious attack; an atrocity.

   There the cause of death was soon ascertained ; the victim of this daring outrage had been stabbed to death from ear to ear with a long, sharp instrument, in shape like an antique stiletto, which […] was subsequently found under the cushions of the hansom.[…]

2. 2
   noun

   An offensive, immoral or indecent act.

   Police went to the cemetery at Trafalgar, near Yallourn, and discovered that a woman's body had been stolen from a grave. They were satisfied it was the same body found at Yallourn - but made no progress in running down the ghouls responsible for the outrage.

3. 3
   noun

   A destructive rampage.

   The Lords acknowledge the great and happy Providence of Almighty God, in the preventing of ſo horrid an Outrage, which might have endangered the Lives of the Chief Magiſtrates, and alſo hazarded the Spoil of the whole City of London.

4. 4
   verb

   To cause or commit an outrage upon; to treat with violence or abuse.

   August 30, 1706, Francis Atterbury, a sermon preach'd in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, at the funeral of Mr. Tho. Bennet Base and insolent minds […] outrage men when they have Hopes of doing it without a Return.

5. 5
   verb

   To inspire feelings of outrage in.

   The senator's comments outraged the community.

6. 6
   verb

   To rage in excess of.

   Their will the tiger sucked, outraged the storm

7. 7
   noun

   a wantonly cruel act

8. 8
   noun

   the act of scandalizing

Etymology

From Middle English outrage, from Old French outrage, oultrage (“excess”), from Vulgar Latin *ultrāticum ("a going beyond"), derived from Latin ultrā (“beyond”). Later reanalysed as out- + rage, whence the contemporary pronunciation, though neither of these is etymologically related. The verb is from Middle English outragen, from Old French oultragier.