give offense

基本解释

The loud noise of crackers will probably give offense to gods, won't it?
爆竹震耳欲聋的噪声会不会冒犯神灵？
blog.sina.com.cn
Before the interview to which the applicant comes "talkers talk to their friends and decide what will and won't be told, the audience (applicant) decides what will and will not give offense."
在面试前，申请人来“夸夸其谈者向他们的朋友和决定什么将不会被告知，和观众（申请人）决定什么将会和不会冒犯。
iask.sina.com.cn
We were a little flat on offense, our offense wasn't as crisp. Yao hit some tough shots to give them the lead. They were good.
我们进攻打得有些单调，我们的进攻不果断。姚投进了一些困难的入球让他们取得了领先。他们打得挺好。

The speaker says: Before I built a wall I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out, And to whom I was like to give offense.

The subtext was of an administration effort desperately trying not to give offense to our adversaries.
CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Something rotten in Denmark (and here)
To the contrary, he has seemed determined not to say anything unpleasant — or that might otherwise give offense to Gorbachev.
CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy Soviet Crackdown Watch (Part 5): The Tightening of the Screws