transgress

v., -gressed, -gress·ing, -gress·es.

v.tr.

1. To go beyond or over (a limit or boundary); exceed or overstep: "to make sure that her characters didn't transgress the parameters of ordinariness" (Ron Rosenbaum).
2. To act in violation of (the law, for example).

v.intr.

1. To commit an offense by violating a law or command; sin.
2. To spread over land, especially over the land along a subsiding shoreline. Used of the sea.

[Middle English transgressen, from Old French transgresser, from Latin trānsgredī, trānsgress-, to step across : trāns-, trans- + gradī, to go.]

transgressible trans·gress'i·ble adj.
transgressive trans·gres'sive adj.
transgressively trans·gres'sive·ly adv.
transgressor trans·gres'sor n.

verb

1. To refuse or fail to obey: break, defy, disobey, flout, violate. Idioms: pay no attention to. See resist/yield.
2. To violate a moral or divine law: err, offend, sin, trespass. See right/wrong.
3. To fail to fulfill (a promise) or conform to (a regulation): breach, break, contravene, infringe, violate. See do/not do.

IN BRIEF: Pass beyond limits or boundaries; act in disregard of laws and rules.

In things that are not seen at once, and have no respect one to another, great variety is commendable, provided this variety transgress not the rules of optics and geometry. — Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723)

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The verb has 4 meanings:

Meaning #1: act in disregard of laws and rules
  Synonyms: offend, infract, violate, go against, breach, break

Meaning #2: spread over land, esp. along a subsiding shoreline

Meaning #3: commit a sin; violate a law of God or a moral law
  Synonyms: sin, trespass

Meaning #4: pass beyond; of limits and boundaries
  Synonyms: trespass, overstep

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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - overtræde, overskride, bryde
v. intr. - overtræde loven, synde

Nederlands (Dutch)
overschrijden, zondigen

Français (French)
v. tr. - transgresser
v. intr. - (Jur) commettre une infraction, (Relig) commettre un péché

Deutsch (German)
v. - überschreiten, übertreten, sündigen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - παραβιάζω, παραβαίνω, αθετώ, ξεπερνώ τα όρια, καταπατώ

Italiano (Italian)
eccedere, trasgredire

Português (Portuguese)
v. - transgredir, violar, infringir, ultrapassar

Русский (Russian)
нарушать границы, (фигур.) перейти границы (приличия/вежливости)

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - transgredir, violar, infringir
v. intr. - pecar, quebrantar la ley, propasarse, extralimitarse

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - överträda, överskrida, (jur.)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
违反, 侵犯, 犯罪, 违法, 越界

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 違反, 侵犯, 犯罪
v. intr. - 違法, 犯罪, 越界

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 어기다, 범하다
v. intr. - 법을 어기다, 한계를 넘다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 超える, 犯す, 違犯する, 境界を越えて行く, 違反する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يخالف, ينتهك‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮הפר, הפר חוק, הפר זכויות, עבר על, חרג‬
v. intr. - ‮הפר, הפר חוק, הפר זכויות, עבר על, חרג‬

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