outrage

plural outrages

1. countableuncountableAn 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.[…]

   1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Tremarn Case”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020

   Synonyms: depravity, wrong, atrocity, depravity, infamy, iniquity, turpitude, wickedness

2. countableuncountableAn offensive, immoral or indecent act.

   I always had a suspicion that Calico, with his blend of simple faith and gipsy blood, had violated a temple, or looted a shrine, to save his son's life, and that the guardians of the relic tracked him and revenged the outrage.

   1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC

   1 more example

   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.

   1965, Attila Zohar, Kings Cross Black Magic, Sydney: Horwitz Publications, page 38

3. uncountableThe resentful, indignant, or shocked anger aroused by such acts.
4. countableobsoleteuncountableA 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.

   1648, Journals of the House of Lords, volume X, Die Jovis, 13ᵃ die Aprilis (Thursday 13 April 1648), page 188

present singular third person outrages · participle present outraging · participle past outraged · past outraged

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

   1725-1726, William Broome, Odyssey The interview […] outrages all the rules of decency.

   1 more example

   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.

2. transitiveTo inspire feelings of outrage in.

   The senator's comments outraged the community.

   Synonyms: enrage, inflame, provoke, affront, aggravate, anger, antagonize, awrath

3. archaictransitiveTo sexually violate; to rape.

   Synonyms: abuse, ravish, violate, abuse, constuprate, defile, defoul, dishonour

4. obsoletetransitiveTo rage in excess of.

   Their will the tiger sucked, outraged the storm

   1742–1745, [Edward Young], The Complaint: Or, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, & Immortality, London: […] [Samuel Richardson] for A[ndrew] Millar […], and R[obert] Dodsley […], published 1750, →OCLC