noun

• 1Offense or annoyance.

  ‘she took umbrage at his remarks’

  More example sentences

  • ‘One of the lads took umbrage at this public affront to his manliness and duly acknowledged the driver with a hand signal that wasn't too friendly.’
  • ‘A caller to a phone-in which I heard yesterday took umbrage at the underhand tactics employed by Nasa.’
  • ‘Locals took umbrage at such castigation, and echoing the responses to the Wylde affair, many sought to re-affirm the respectability of the colony in the face of accusations that could be economically and politically damaging.’
  • ‘The victim's daughter, Peggy Puckett - in every other respect a model of forbearance - took umbrage at that, retorting that her father ‘hasn't said anything like that’.’
  • ‘At one point, he took umbrage at a journalist who dared to suggest that he was a ‘lucky’ manager while his discomfort in the aftermath of the French match was clearly visible to everyone at the press conference.’
  • ‘Senator Vanstone took umbrage at this remark, describing his comments as ‘extraordinary’ and ‘indicative of an attitude’ at the ABC.’
  • ‘In fact, Ms Harney took umbrage at the assertion that Moy Chocolates, the brand stocked on board the Gulfstream IV, were her favourites and wanted it made clear that she doesn't even eat chocolate.’
  • ‘In part, Jansen's relationship with McCann broke down because the Dutchman took umbrage at being asked to grade his squad members from A to E, a move designed to allow the club to assess each player's importance.’
  • ‘Seems that some conservatives took umbrage at comments by the writer Joe Staten.’
  • ‘Some of you took umbrage at the content and tone of my column entitled ‘Three genres of women,’ published in the September 24 edition of Imprint.’
  • ‘Republican Representative James Walsh and New York Secretary of State Randy Daniels took umbrage at Cuomo's comments.’
  • ‘Unfortunately there was a real (fairly minor) artist named Fitzgerald who took umbrage at the book and sent his lawyers to have it pulped.’
  • ‘You see, the Governer of Jamaica lived just up the road at King's House, and his wife, a white woman from England, took umbrage at this impudence.’
  • ‘General George S. Patton, for instance, took umbrage at the portraits of slovenly and sardonic warriors.’
  • ‘But many neighborhood mothers took umbrage at the implied criticism of how they handle their children.’
  • ‘When they tried to get him to take a pay cut in 1887 to reflect his diminished ability, he took umbrage at the perceived insult and retired.’
  • ‘The Home Secretary took umbrage at the suggestion that his son had told him what to do, as opposed to taking a filial interest in his work.’
  • ‘Dame Angela Lansbury took umbrage at the sun and forced her large pair of Jackie O sunglasses up her nose with the palm of her hand.’
  • ‘There was a silly argument and Coleman took umbrage at Mr Clarke's tone of voice.’

  Synonyms

  take offence, be offended, take exception, bridle, take something personally, be aggrieved, be affronted, take something amiss, be upset, be annoyed, be angry, be indignant, get one's hackles up, be put out, be insulted, be hurt, be wounded, be piqued, be resentful, be disgruntled, get into a huff, go into a huff, get huffy

• 2archaic Shade or shadow, especially as cast by trees.

  ‘The umbrage of the tree didn't prevent the blinding light of the sun from getting to my eyes.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Still dazed, I was sitting outside under the umbrage of a tree by the entrance.’
  • ‘She rested beneath the umbrage of the old oak.’
  • ‘Under an oak tree's umbrage I dried the damp away.’
  • ‘The umbrage came from the tree like a dark cloud.’

  Synonyms

  shade, shadowiness, darkness, gathering darkness, dimness, semi-darkness, twilight