trespass

C1 · Advanced Formal

v. to take advantage of someone's time or kindness in an annoying way.

v. to intrude upon or take unfair advantage of something, such as a person's time, privacy, or hospitality.

“I don't want to trespass on your time, but I have one more question.”

“The journalist was careful not to trespass upon the family's grief during the interview, keeping his questions strictly professional.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Law

n. the act of going onto someone's land without permission.

n. the act or crime of entering another's property without permission.

“The sign on the gate warned that trespass was strictly forbidden.”

“The defendant was charged with criminal trespass after he refused to leave the premises despite multiple warnings from the manager.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Religion Archaic · Literary

n. a moral mistake or a sin against a person or God.

n. a moral offence or sin; an older term for a violation of a moral or social law.

“The old prayer asks for forgiveness for our daily trespasses.”

“In the context of the sixteenth-century sermon, a trespass referred to any deviation from the strict moral codes of the community.”